Chapter 21: Making Strides

Ki Jung thinks it is great being able to study and learn at Jade Academy. On her own time, she studies the written language and quickly gets the hang of it. She wouldn’t become a great poet or writer, but she could read and write acceptably in no time at all.

The studies of Alchemy were coming along nicely. She could now identify and harvest a wide variety of plants, mosses, and fungi. Her magical studies were a little more complicated, as this was a subject that she had no background in at all. Magic did not exist, except in fantasy, in her world. Still, she applied herself with a passion and soon began to understand the basics of magic. It was slow, but steady, progress.

The big surprise was how much meditation mattered in this world to those who used Qi. It did not matter if it was a martial artist, a magician, or an alchemist, meditation affected their abilities. Proper meditation techniques helped one learn how to best channel the Qi energies in one’s body. It wasn’t exactly the same for everyone, thus the need to practice, discover, and learn how it flowed within their Qi channels.

The control of Qi within one’s body was just a part of it, though. Fortunately, Ki Jung had experience with Qi via her years of martial arts training and her practice of Blessed Whole. She knows how to channel the inner force into her movements when engaged in martial arts. The shattering of The Hun’s arm was an example of her ability. Her Dantian has definite limits, though they are slowly becoming a deeper wells of power with the practice of Blessed Whole. The capacity of her Dantians doubled when she opened her second Qi-lock in Blessed Whole. It also strengthened and expanded her Qi channels among other things.

Ki Jung also finds that her meditation sessions at the pergola have a profound effect on her state of mind and spirit. She finds that she easily allow her troubles to wash away during these sessions. This always leaves her feeling more centered and clear-minded. When she tries practicing the Blessed Whole technique as she meditates, she notices benefits there, too. She can feel the progress towards the next stage, but only when doing it at the pergola.

Her research into Qi techniques like Pakchulbong and Body Cultivation caused her to change her practice of each of them. In the case of Pakchulbong, it will improve faster when there were actual threats directed at her. For tempering her body, she would need to take real physical damage.

Blessed whole works directly with the body’s internal systems and does not need outside influences. Pakchulbong needs something to work with. Something such as a killing intent directed towards her, or even an intent to deceive her. It could also point to people with good intentions, but positive vibes did nothing to help it grown and improve.

The same was true of Body Cultivation, which needed something to temper the body. A good example would be building up the muscles of the legs by kicking banana trees in Muay Thai. In time, she would find it necessary to use more and more drastic measures to temper her body. Things like fire, frost, crushing weight, bone-shattering blows, and more. It won’t be possible to get past Body like Iron (the third stage) without those extra pushes.

For the time being, Ki Jung is at a standstill on improving Pakchulbong and Body Cultivation. She isn’t discouraged, too much, because she that she cannot progress without help due to the weakened state one is in while going through the changes. On the other side of the coin, after a quarter of a year, she finally unlocked her second Qi-lock in Blessed Qi. Her Dantian’s capacity doubled, her Qi channels are stronger and more pliant, and the amount of Qi she is able direct through her body increased dramatically.

Ki Jung learned just how much the amount of Qi she could channel increased when she went outside the city walls to test her flame spell on an inflammable object. She went outside the walls to avoid damage within the city walls.

Ki Jung figured that an area with a diameter of 10m cleared of anything flammable, a kilometer outside the city walls would be an excellent place to practice. She took a fist-sized stone and set it in the middle of her clearing, focused her intent on it as she cast flame.

It should be noted that Ki Jung had become proficient with the spell through practice. This had been before the second Blessed Qi Qi-lock opened. It took some effort, but she could ignite a fire, light incense or candles, or even a stove with a bit of effort.

She had expected to have to put a sizable amount of effort into setting the rock on fire. Thus, she focused on the rock and cast her spell on it. The results were shocking! As soon as her intent and the spell combined, the rock burst into flames. The flames were scorching, even five meters away. The sand around it began to melt into glass slag, while the stone melted.

The suddenness and intensity of the fire surprised Ki Jung as nothing had in years. In spite of this, she quickly regained her equilibrium and cast its counter-spell, Ice.

The interaction of Flame and Ice caused the molten rock to shatter like a grenade. Pieces of shattered rock and glass went flying in all directions. This was a real danger and instantly caused her Pakchulbong to alert her of the impending danger, though there was no way to avoid the deadly projectiles.

All she could do was protect her face and pray as her body was ravaged by the expanding cloud of death. Perhaps it was luck. Others would say that it was due to the constant practice of her various arts. Whatever the case, a portion of her mind was focused on her Body Cultivation when everything went sideways.

The damage she sustained would have killed anyone who did not have the first level of body tempering. Since she did have “Body like Stone,” she survived. That isn’t to say she didn’t take damage, because she did. Her extremities were riddled with holes that were seeping blood. Her torso could almost be mistaken for ground pork for sausages. The pain was excruciating, but she managed to stay conscious, but that was all she could manage.

Not far away, Min Joon stood up from where he was watching her. She hadn’t told him not to come, but she hadn’t invited him either. Now, he was glad to be there in her time of need. Without a second thought, he ran over to her as fast as his feet would carry him. In less than a minute, he was at her side, asking what he could do to help.

“Big sister, how can I help you! You need to tell me,” he begged.

With a weak raspy voice, Ki Jung replied, “I need you to watch over me, little brother. That’s all you can do, for now. Keep me safe. Do you have the materials for my body cultivation breakthrough? I’m going to need them!”

“Right here, big sister. I keep them in my ring at all times. I wanted to be sure to have them ready whenever they would be needed.”

“Ah, you are such a good brother, Min Joon. Thank you. Now, set things up as I have taught you. I hope Auntie knows you’re with me, or she will worry,” she said with a pain-inducing cough.

Min Joon pulled out the thick blanket and laid it out. He then assisted her onto it and helped get her as comfortable as possible. She refused any healing potions, as that would have caused the tempering to be less effective. One had to endure the pain for as long as possible.