The Eunuch Regains His Manhood in the Second Round

11. The State of No Self

At the Grand Martial Arts Arena of the Joint Sect.

In the morning sunlight, I was listening to Master’s words.

He took my wrist and checked my pulse.

Lately, it felt terrible to have so much skinship with men, but I couldn’t refuse the internal energy initiation, so I quietly accepted Master’s pulse check.

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“As Huiya said, Cheolsu, the foundation of your bones and muscles is already sufficiently complete. From now on, you can reduce external energy training and start learning internal energy.”

Jeonyeong said in an indifferent tone.

Behind him, the annoyingly handsome Senior Brother was mouthing, “Junior, it’s great. Hang in there,” while smiling and waving his hand.

Senior Brother’s eyes sparkled to the point of being burdensome.

Since finishing the unnecessarily sticky and gay-like skinship yesterday, Senior Brother’s mind had become strange.

Even in the kitchen earlier, he made a fuss trying to help me with breakfast with his clumsy skills.

What’s wrong with him?

Could it be… No, it can’t be.

It must be. That’s how people of that age usually play around.

—

—

Yeah, let’s not think about unnecessary things.

I thought so and continued my Kegel exercises with a slight twitch.

Since my regression, I have never skipped a single day of Kegel exercises except for sleep time. It has now become a complete habit, and my body continues to twitch my pubococcygeus muscle unconsciously, reaching a state of selflessness (無我之境).

“Thank you, Master. But I don’t want to reduce my external training.”

I said politely, clasping my hands together towards my master after releasing my stance.

While I am grateful for entering the realm of internal energy, I cannot give up external training.

Of course, I understand what my master is saying.

External training is the foundation and important, but one cannot become a master with external training alone.

In the martial world, external training is supplementary, and internal energy is the main focus.

Therefore, after entering the realm of internal energy, it is natural to minimize external training and increase the focus on internal energy training.

External training is only practiced to maintain physical condition, and the rest of the effort is put into internal energy, swordsmanship, and footwork training.

This is the most common martial arts training method adopted by all sects in the martial world, recognized by everyone from third-rate to absolute masters who have reached the pinnacle of martial arts.

It could be called the ‘standard of martial arts.’

‘But that can’t be.’

However, I couldn’t do that.

External training was the only means to achieve the ultimate physical beauty that would captivate women’s hearts.

But to minimize external training like others?

I couldn’t accept that.

Twitch.

My master’s eyebrows furrowed at my words.

“Not wanting to reduce external training? What do you mean by that?”

He said in a slightly stern tone.

Defying my master’s words is a dangerous thing.

But external training was important enough for me to take that risk.

What good is it to become a hero of the martial world?

Next to me is my senior brother, who boasts a face more handsome than the combined looks of Cha Eun-woo, Kang Dong-won, Won Bin, and Jang Dong-gun.

To win the battle for women’s hearts against such a senior brother, I had to achieve the ultimate physique.

The only flaw in my senior brother’s perfect face is his relatively weak physical condition.

I had to exploit that gap.

That’s why it was necessary.

—

—

Not just physical beauty, but a physique that has reached the ultimate level, one that could make women fall in love at first sight with just a glimpse of its muscle lines.

Moreover, I couldn’t afford to stop my efficient lower body training, the Mabo practice.

For the sake of achieving the ultimate mastery, training my lower body and waist through Mabo was not an option, but a necessity.

With a slight sheen of saliva on my lips, I acted out the gaze and face of a slightly intimidated yet still confident child, and spoke to my master.

“I am a dullard, unlike the talented Gijaein. For someone like me to assist the senior and rebuild the sect, mere ordinary effort won’t suffice.”

While external energy is a supplement to internal energy, my training in external energy since my entry into internal energy was not entirely in vain.

Though the efficiency was abysmal, there were indeed clear effects from the external energy training after entering internal energy.

Even with the same sword technique, there was a subtle but definite difference between wielding a sword infused only with internal energy and one that also incorporated a slightly superior physical strength.

In the fierce struggle between life and death, even the slightest difference could sometimes become a decisive opportunity.

Of course, knowing that the efficiency was extremely low, it was far more effective to spend that time on other training to elevate my level and overwhelm my opponent, yet I chose not to.

Martial artists are still human.

Naturally, one cannot repeat training for 24 hours straight.

If I were to add external energy training to my internal energy practice, I would be so busy that 24 hours wouldn’t be enough to keep my eyes open.

Of course, that applies to the average martial artist.

It does not apply to me.

I do not neglect either external or internal energy.

Only then can I enjoy the pleasures of the three wives and four concubines, and the joys of clouds and rain.

Each drop of sweat today will accumulate and become the future’s feast of wine and meat.

With grand ambition, I raised my burning gaze to look directly at my master and said,

“I need overwhelming effort to bridge the gap of innate talent. I cannot stand by the senior or rebuild the fallen sect by doing things like everyone else. Therefore, I cannot reduce my external energy training.”

I looked straight at my master as I spoke.

With this, I should now be recognized by my master as a ‘dedicated disciple who loves the sect and strives to compensate for lacking talent with sheer will.’

“Hmmm…”

Hearing my words, Jeon Yeong stroked the beard growing beneath his chin.

*

Jeon Yeong’s gaze turned to Lee Cheol-soo.

‘He’s such a remarkably mature child, could it be that he already knew?’

Lee Cheol-soo’s talent is that of an ordinary person.

For two months, his efforts have surpassed the level of an average person, yet Jeon Yeong still judged that his ultimate achievement would generally be at the first-rate level, only reaching the peak with the favor of heaven.

‘The martial world is merciless to those without talent.’

—

—

The highest level that ordinary and dull talents could reach through effort and general martial arts was first-class.

From the pinnacle and beyond, it was the realm of prodigies, the exclusive domain of the talented.

Ordinary and dull talents could never reach the pinnacle without heavenly fortune, such as fortuitous encounters or miraculous elixirs.

Even prodigies could not reach the super pinnacle without the help of their sect, unless they were blessed with heavenly fortune and fortuitous encounters.

The reason why prestigious sects were prestigious was that they possessed the ascending techniques and elixir manufacturing methods that guaranteed the super pinnacle and beyond.

That was not all.

From the teachings and systematic training methods provided by the members of the sect with excellent experience, to the cooking methods and fasting pills suitable for martial arts training, to the secluded training caves and excellent training facilities.

With such tangible and intangible assets creating an excellent training environment, prestigious sects could nurture talents to the super pinnacle on their own, without the intervention of fortuitous elements like heavenly fortune.

That is why talents flocked to prestigious sects.

Prestigious sects guaranteed the super pinnacle for prodigies and first-class for ordinary talents through stable support.

But the Gongdong Sect was no longer a prestigious sect, but a fallen one.

The ascending techniques and elixir manufacturing methods were already lost, and the secluded training caves, training grounds, and systematic training methods and disciple education methods were all burned to ashes when the main sect was devastated.

‘Normally, excessive external training after entering internal cultivation is inefficient and should be avoided, but…’

That was common sense.

But it was not the case for the situation the Gongdong Sect was in.

Without an excellent training environment, high-quality elixirs, or ascending techniques that guaranteed the pinnacle and beyond, for the ordinary talent Cheolsu to become a master standing next to his senior brother Yujinhwi, he needed overwhelming effort that surpassed the realm of ordinary people.

In other words, Cheolsu’s childish words were paradoxically the correct answer in the current situation.

For him to reach the first-class level in the fallen Gongdong Sect, he needed extraordinary effort that transcended limits.

Of course, this was theoretical.

Realistically, it was almost impossible for an ordinary person to endure such a training volume, but…

‘Maybe if it’s Cheolsu… it might be possible.’

After observing for two months, it was clear that Cheolsu was an ordinary talent, but not an ordinary person.

With the determination to enjoy even the harsh external training with a smile.

Maybe he could easily handle the training volume that surpassed limits.

Normally, it would be impossible.

It should not be allowed.

But the special situation of the Gongdong Sect and the tenacious will and determination of Cheolsu that he had seen so far moved Jeonyeong’s heart.

Jeonyeong’s eyes met Cheolsu’s.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul.

Beyond Cheolsu’s eyes, a burning and passionate desire that was unimaginable for a boy of his age was blazing.

—

—

‘Though still a young disciple, he already thinks about the reconstruction of the sect and martial arts.’

Jeon Yeong sighed inwardly.

Cheolsu was young.

He thought he was mature, but he didn’t expect him to have such deep thoughts.

He could have been frustrated by the overwhelming talent gap with his senior brother, or harbored inferiority and jealousy towards his senior brother’s innate qualities, leading to mischief.

Even if not, if he heard that he could reduce the hard external training since he had entered internal energy training, it was normal for boys his age to like that.

But Cheolsu was not ordinary.

Cheolsu said he would rather assist his senior brother in rebuilding the sect and become stronger by working harder than others.

‘To make a decision that prioritizes his senior brother and the sect over himself at such a young age. Cheolsu has a righteous and strong heart. If he grows up with this sense of justice intact, he could become a great hero who will spread the name of our sect widely in the orthodox martial arts world.’

Jeon Yeong revised his judgment about Cheolsu.

He was an ordinary talent but not an ordinary person, and he had the qualities of a hero.

As the head of a prestigious orthodox sect, Jeon Yeong couldn’t help but admire Cheolsu’s heart.

A disciple who is determined to focus on martial arts for the reconstruction of the sect cannot be stopped by his master.

Of course, the burning enthusiasm in Lee Cheolsu’s eyes was directed towards something other than martial arts, but Jeon Yeong didn’t know that.

The moment he confirmed his enthusiasm and heroic qualities, Jeon Yeong made up his mind.

“Good.”

At Jeon Yeong’s words, Lee Cheolsu’s eyes sparkled.

Feeling Cheolsu’s ambition, Jeon Yeong added with a pleased smile.

“Then I will specially allow you to train both external and internal martial arts simultaneously. However, if you feel you can’t do it, tell me anytime and you can stop. Understood?”

“Yes, I understand! Master!”

Lee Cheolsu answered with sparkling eyes.

‘Haha, this boy. Such ambition and enthusiasm… Admirable. I’m embarrassed.’

Even when he was young, he didn’t have such a strong sense of justice as Cheolsu.

He was determined to raise Cheolsu as a hero.

At that moment, when Jeon Yeong was making that resolution.

“Master! I also want to train external martial arts with my junior brother.”

Yoo Jin-hwi, who was behind Lee Cheolsu, raised his hand and spoke with sparkling eyes.

“Hmm. Hwi-ah. Why do you want to train external martial arts with Cheolsu? You don’t need to.”

“Master. I also realized after hearing my junior brother’s words. To reconstruct our sect, ordinary efforts are not enough. No matter how excellent my talent is, I am still just an unpolished gem. To become a true jewel, I think I need more bone-crushing training than now.”

Yoo Jin-hwi spoke logically with sparkling eyes.

—

—

She had a point.

Even a genius needed effort, not just a talented person.

No, because he was a genius, it required relentless effort to step into the absolute realm of transcendence, beyond the pinnacle.

From that perspective, if Eugene Hwi could achieve it, allowing him to practice external martial arts wasn’t a bad idea.

“Moreover, external martial arts training is tough. I can’t let my junior disciple train alone. As his senior brother… I want to guide him.”

Eugene Hwi said with a broad smile.

Hearing her words, Lee Cheol-soo’s insides boiled, thinking about having to train with another sweaty male senior brother, but he maintained his usual expression with superhuman patience and acting skills.

Regardless of Lee Cheol-soo’s inner turmoil, Jeon Young smiled faintly at Eugene Hwi’s words.

‘Haha. Although Hwi is disguised as a man, she is a woman, and Cheol-soo is a man, so I thought it would take a long time for them to get close. But Hwi is actively stepping up for her junior disciple… I didn’t expect the brotherly love between them to deepen so quickly.’

Jeon Young envisioned the two of them making a name for themselves in the martial world, elevating the reputation of the Gongdong Sect.

‘Now, I can fulfill the wish of the late master.’

It seemed as if the image of his late master, Cheon Rae-geom Im Baek-seon, was flickering before his eyes.

Im Baek-seon, the sole survivor of the Magyo invasion and the Gongdong Blood History fifty years ago.

He could never forget the memory of the day when the Magyo invaded and burned down the main mountain while he was in solitary confinement in the Face Wall Cave after being lightly disciplined for sneaking out at night against the sect’s rules.

Even though we perished to uphold our principles against the Magyo, you must survive inside the Face Wall Cave to continue the sect’s lineage, said the senior master guarding the cave entrance. He could never forget those words.

That’s how he survived.

After the Magyo invasion ended, Im Baek-seon, who had hidden and survived by drinking water from the cave and eating wall grain pills for a week, was greeted by the burnt-down main mountain and the horrific corpses of the senior masters.

The memory of that day tormented him for life, and Jeon Young, who entered the sect after the Gongdong Blood History, also knew the story.

Rebuild the sect.

That was Im Baek-seon’s last wish and lifelong desire, and Jeon Young willingly took on his master’s wish.

Jeon Young closed and opened his eyes, recalling the past.

Eugene Hwi, a prodigy with the qualities of a great master, and Lee Cheol-soo, ordinary but with superhuman will and determination, and a sense of justice.

With the deepened brotherly love between the two, if Eugene Hwi leads and Lee Cheol-soo supports from behind, the reconstruction of the sect that the master so longed for will become a reality.

Jeon Young thought so, nodding his head with a satisfied heart.

“Alright. Hwi, if that’s your wish, then do so.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Eugene Hwi, happy to receive permission, and Lee Cheol-soo, sighing inwardly while smiling outwardly at Eugene Hwi.

Watching the two, Jeon Young once again admired the brotherly love in his heart and spoke to his two disciples.

“Then, both of you will train in external martial arts later. Hwi, while I teach Cheol-soo internal martial arts, you continue practicing the Soyang Sword Technique. Cheol-soo, I will now teach you internal martial arts. Sit cross-legged and close your eyes.”

*

I sat cross-legged and closed my eyes, just as Jeon-Young instructed.

“From now on, I will impart to you the foundational heart technique of our sect, the Lesser Yang Heart Method. Recite the incantations I provide while chanting them in your mind.”

Jeon-Young began to chant the incantations of the Lesser Yang Heart Method.

As expected of a foundational technique, the incantations were simple, so it didn’t take long to memorize them.

However, I had to feign clumsiness, so I pretended to take a long time to learn them.

After several hours had passed.

“Have you memorized them all?”

By this point, a normal person would have had enough time to memorize the incantations.

In truth, the foundational technique was neither lengthy nor difficult; it was straightforward.

“Yes.”

“Good. Then from now on, I will infuse my internal energy into your body, guiding it according to the incantations of the Lesser Yang Heart Method. While I do this, continue to chant the incantations in your mind, so you can remember the path the energy takes.”

As soon as Jeon-Young finished speaking, he placed his hand on the Mingmen point located near my spine.

In that moment.

His hot internal energy surged through the meridians.

Following the incantations of the Lesser Yang Heart Method, his energy raced through my body.

It was not the cold, oppressive energy of the Extreme Yin technique, but rather the warm, vibrant energy of Yang that finally entered me.

A tingling sensation shot down my spine.

Pleasure coursed through my entire being.

No longer would I have to endure the cursed Extreme Yin technique, shivering from its frigid energy.

As my mastery deepened, my physique would transform more femininely, my voice would thin, and I would suffer the absurd side effects of becoming a eunuch—this trashy, pathetic technique was now a thing of the past.

Extreme Yin, be gone; I am a man now.

At last, I could learn a proper martial art.

The moment I felt the warmth of my master’s energy being infused into me, it finally hit home.

Drip.

A hot tear rolled down my cheek.

It was a tear imbued with a complex mix of emotions—touching, regret, resentment, and joy.

Today, I had finally been reborn, not as a eunuch, but as a true male master.