Chapter 19: Chapter 19

I had doubts about monk Mang-ryang’s words. Granted, if the reason was as he said, it would be understandable why monk Mang-ryang, originally from the Royal Observatory, couldn’t decipher the mysterious script. However, the issue was that I couldn’t fully trust his capabilities. For all I know, he might be making up plausible stories on the spot.

Noticing the skepticism flickering across my face, monk Mang-ryang furrowed his brows.

“I think I know what you’re pondering right now… What I’m saying is true.”

“I’d like to believe so.”

“Do you have anything to lose by believing me? So far, you haven’t had any clues to decipher the script.”

“Hmm…”

Monk Mang-ryang had a point. He didn’t claim that he could decipher the script; he merely provided reasons for why he couldn’t. Doubting him now wouldn’t give me any benefits. So, I decided to ask what I had been curious about.

“So, why are you telling me all this ‘life-or-death’ information? We’ve only just met today and know very little about each other. Heck, you don’t even know what I’m planning to do with the Heavenly Tome of Dark Mysteries.”

“Well, because I consider our meeting itself to be a fortunate occurrence.”

Fortunate occurrence? Me?

Slightly bewildered, I listened as monk Mang-ryang brightened his eyes and spoke.

“I may be scraping by reading fortunes for fools now, but once, I was a proud scholar at the continent’s finest observatory. And here I am, encountering the mysterious script that even I couldn’t identify back then. Breaking the royal secret-keeping duty is worth it, considering a scholar’s insatiable thirst for knowledge.”

“A scholar, you say? I thought you identify as a Taoist priest.”

“Hahaha. You don’t seem to know what Qi Men Dun Jia is.”

[TL/N: The term 奇門遁甲 (Qi Men Dun Jia) is a traditional Chinese system of divination and strategic decision-making. It was originally used for military strategy but has also been applied to other areas such as business, politics, and personal life. More info on this can be found in /what-is-qimen/

A chart of Qi Men Dun Jia:

]

Monk Mang-ryang chuckled bitterly, then elaborated.

“Qi Men Dun Jia is not a superstition. You can think of it as a formula where a fixed pattern yields predictable results. It belongs in the domain of mathematics and physics as well. The divination circle I’ve laid out on this mountain is the same. I don’t possess any divine power; it’s simply arranged according to set principles.”

“Ah, I see.”

I felt like I had heard something valuable. Qi Men Dun Jia wasn’t about mystic powers cultivated through training, but something that anyone could achieve if they applied their intellect. Intrigued, I decided to inquire further.

“So, what about the shamanic arts or exorcisms? Do they require divine powers?”

“Those require a certain ability, but it’s not divine power; it’s the energy of the Upper Dantian.”

“Upper Dantian?”

“Haha, it looks like I should explain further to our honored guest.”

Excited, monk Mang-ryang continued.

“The inner strength you’ve cultivated is stored in your Lower Dantian. The energy flows through your meridians and limbs, elevating your physique to superhuman levels. As your Lower Dantian’s capabilities increase, you can access the Middle Dantian. This doesn’t reside in a specific part of the body like a regular Dantian.”

“Then where is this Middle Dantian located?”

“It’s said to be in the heart, but that’s not the case. When the capabilities of the Lower Dantian reach an extremely high level, they go through a unification process, channeling all the energy into the heart. In essence, you could say the pinnacle of a martial artist lies in the Middle Dantian.”

Taken aback, I asked, “So, does that mean the Upper Dantian is located in the brain?”

“Exactly.”

Monk Mang-ryang took another sip of water, seemingly parched from his extensive explanation. He cleared his throat before resuming,

“Don’t be mistaken. Although the Middle Dantian evolved from the Lower Dantian, the Upper Dantian has no relation to them. It is an innate capability hidden within the human brain, developed to intervene in another dimension. It is a skill that cannot be used unless you are born with it, and those who are born with it have been active based on that ability.”

Is that so?

“Hmm… If it is such an innate ability, I don’t see the need to differentiate it from supernatural power.”

“No. Although I don’t know the details, the sorcerers of the heretical sects insist that we must clearly distinguish between the Upper Dantian and supernatural powers. There must be a clear meaning to those who use the abilities of the Upper Dantian.”

“I see…”

I have gained a lot of knowledge at this point.

The distinctions of Dantian into upper, middle, and lower, and the understanding of Qi Men Dun Jia techniques!

This knowledge is something you can’t easily get even if you paid a fortune. monk Mang-ryang offered me water, saying, “Would you like some water?”

“No.”

“In any case, the conversation went off-topic, but I have one request.”

Thud

Monk Mang-ryang slammed his palm onto a wooden board that looked like a table. A visible sense of desire emerged in his eyes.

“Whoever you are, I don’t care. Just allow me to interpret this Heavenly Tome of Dark Mysteries.”

“…”

So, that was the reason he’s been talking so much.

I crossed my arms and pondered. I vaguely understood his purpose, but it felt fresh to hear it directly. I looked at his face and said,

“Monk Mang-ryang, what would you have done if I tried to torture or harm you?”

“That’s why I told you everything before it came to that, didn’t I?”

“Some people would rather beat you up first, then talk.”

“From what I saw, you are not that kind of person. If you were, I would have already been dead when my protective formation was broken. I talked because you seemed like a reasonable person.”

Monk Mang-ryang was eloquent and smooth in his speech. It was almost certain that he was a man of vast knowledge.

I realized I was at a crossroads of a major decision.

Should I give him the Heavenly Tome of Dark Mysteries to interpret as he wishes?

Or should I confirm that he can’t interpret it and leave?

“But… you said you couldn’t interpret the bizarre language when you searched the Imperial Inner Chamber. It seems you lack the ability to interpret the Heavenly Tome of Dark Mysteries.”

“Ah… well…about that…”

Monk Mang-ryang hesitated, clearly pricked by my point. Indeed, there was no basis to believe that he could interpret the cryptic language he had encountered while working in the Royal Observatory.

After a moment’s pause, he said, “Perhaps I might be able to interpret it.”

“How?”

“If I have the Nameless Ritual Sacrifice Rites, it might be possible. Any language has its own rules, and if you have enough samples, you can roughly figure out the meaning. I couldn’t understand it with just the Nameless Ritual Sacrifice Rites, but if I can compare it to the Heavenly Tome of Dark Mysteries containing the same bizarre language, I might be able to interpret it.”

“Really…”

I shook my head and got to the point.

“So, if I bring you the Nameless Ritual Sacrifice Rites, you can interpret it?”

“Hmm… that’s true, but…”

Monk Mang-ryang seemed to realize how absurd his own proposal sounded.

“The Imperial Inner Chamber is right next to the Emperor’s residence, Great Dragon Hall1. It is located in the deepest part of the Inner Palace. Do you think you can bring the Nameless Ritual Sacrifice Rites from there?”

“It’s possible.”

“Heh…”

Without hesitation, I responded, and it seemed monk Mang-ryang was taken aback. After all, I had just claimed I would infiltrate the most heavily guarded place in the world, the imperial palace, to steal a book. It was a madman’s proposition.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

However, using the Heavenly Tome of Dark Mysteries, I had the ability to reverse time even if I died. I believed that if I thought it through and planned well, I could even secure the Nameless Ritual Sacrifice Rites.

“Wait a moment.”

Monk Mang-ryang seemed to ponder for a bit before entering his house. When he came out, he held several scrolls and three books. He extended a scroll towards me.

“Take this.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a map of the Inner Palace. The imperial palace consists of a total of 99 palaces. Including additional attached buildings, it technically has 173 palaces. You’ll never make it to the Imperial Inner Chamber without this map.”

“……”

I stared at monk Mang-ryang incredulously.

“Did you take this map of the imperial palace when you left it?”

“I made it myself.”

“Either way, what is this…”

Possessing this item itself could be called a treasonous act. If the map of the imperial palace were leaked to the outside, it would seriously jeopardize the Emperor and the imperial family. Monk Mang-ryang seemed completely unfazed by this.

“What’s the difference? Let’s continue the explanation.”

“……”

This guy really marches to the beat of his own drum.

After all, he left the imperial palace and has been living as a fake monk.

“These are three books you must read. The ‘Grand Book of Mystical Taiji’ contains basic formations and tactics. ‘The True Origin of the Art of Change’ will help you understand ‘Grand Book of Mystical Taiji’ more easily. Lastly, read ‘Thunder Essence Scripture’ aloud at least half an hour daily. It will invigorate your brain.”

“Why do I need to read books on tactics?”

“Hmm… You really don’t know, do you?”

Monk Mang-ryang clicked his tongue.

“The outer palaces of the imperial residence are ordinary buildings, but the 36 palaces of the Inner Palace are constructed with Six-Dimensional Defense Array, a kind of magical formation. When invaders appear, the Royal Observatory or the Royal Guards can activate these formations, giving the internal guards an overwhelming advantage. To evade this, you must understand these magical formations and tactics.”

“Are these formations really that formidable?”

Monk Mang-ryang responded, somewhat drained.

“Even if you, who broke through my Web of Clouds Formation like water, you can’t underestimate the imperial palace’s formations or you’ll be hunted down. They are the creations of the greatest experts of Qi formations. Even with your current level of Qi, you could become prey.”

“Hmm…”

“You’ll understand what I’m saying when you experience it yourself.”

With that, monk Mang-ryang thrust the three books into my arms like a gift.

“When you have a reasonable grasp of ‘Grand Book of Mystical Taiji’ and ‘The True Origin of the Art of Change,’ I’ll explain how to break through the imperial palace’s defenses. Come find me then.”

I frowned.

“Isn’t this… a bit too complicated?”

“Infiltrating the Imperial Inner Chamber means you could also infiltrate the Great Dragon Hall next door. Don’t you think it’s naturally difficult to get as far to a place where you could seize the Emperor’s seal?”

“What if I fail and get caught?”

“Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I’m already considered dead in this world, so I’m confident I can save myself.”

It wasn’t until I looked at the three books and the scroll map in my arms that I fully realized the absurd difficulty of this task. Had I known it would be this difficult, I would have mentally prepared myself more before coming here.

However, I decided to completely revise my plans.

“In that case, it would be better if you just pass down the Qi formation knowledge to me directly.”

This time, monk Mang-ryang made a puzzled face, going “Huh?”

“But this is very basic stuff. Anyone who has mastered the Three Core Scriptures can read it…”

[TL/N: Three Core Scriptures are the three books Mang-ryang mentioned earlier]

“I don’t know anything like the Three Core Scriptures. I’m not completely ignorant, but all I know are martial arts techniques.”

“……”

Monk Mang-ryang had an expression as if he’d been hit by a blow. He seemed to have assumed that I would be fairly knowledgeable. Realizing that he would have to teach a complete novice not only the basics but also all sorts of academic knowledge, he started to grimace, scratching his chin.

“Eh… but I’m not really good at teaching either…”

“Do you think anyone is good at learning? We have to cooperate to achieve each other’s goals.”

“Do you know any Hanja (Chinese characters) to some extent?”

A moment later, he tested my knowledge level and was disheartened.

“Damn it… it would take you at least 3 years to properly read Three Core Scriptures.”

“What does it matter?”

I responded curtly.

“Then let’s start from tomorrow.”

I canceled my plan to go to Luoyang.

Another plan came up, so now I just have to learn Qi formation knowledge while studying literature.

What’s three years anyway?

I have nothing but time, so I will consistently strive toward my goal.

太龍殿[↩]