Wooyun had been practicing his qi circulation alongside his other training for the next few days. Moving became much easier, and his reflexes sharpened, making it less difficult to dodge Eun-woo's attacks. That was both a blessing and a curse.
Anytime he improved in any area, Eun-woo would immediately increase the intensity tenfold, leaving Wooyun struggling to catch his breath. He had never worked this hard for such little payoff before, and his frustration only grew with each passing day.
"When are you going to teach me to actually fight?" he asked one day during a rare moment of reprieve.
Eun-woo arched a brow. "What do you mean?"
"You know, actual sparring. Like you do with the young master," Wooyun clarified.
The older man regarded him with a strange look, as if he had just asked something stupid. Wooyun hated when Eun-woo looked at him like that—mostly because he had never been on the receiving end of such a look before.
Lee Wooyun had always been a smart guy. He had good grades throughout high school and university, landed a job at a good company, and while it was tough at first, he navigated it with intelligence and a sprinkle of charm. That was why his team leader had chosen him to give a presentation for a potential pitch alongside his co-worker. The thought caused a lump to settle in his chest.
He could only hope his sunbae and team leader would take pity on him when he eventually returned to the real world.
Seeing Wooyun's expression darken, Eun-woo mistook it for offense at being treated like a fool. With a measured sigh, he explained himself.
"Even though you've made significant progress over the past two months, you're still nowhere near ready to spar with a master like myself. You've barely scratched the surface. You wouldn't stand a chance against Yu-jun, let alone someone like me." His tone was lighter than usual, perhaps to avoid hurting Wooyun's feelings too much.
Hearing that he didn't even measure up to Yu-jun—the same guy who once whined to his mother about cutting himself while slicing meat—made Wooyun's eye twitch. Something about that comparison felt deeply wrong. He suddenly had the overwhelming urge to prove Eun-woo wrong.
How dare he compare me to that two-bit thug?
"How can I reach that level, then? Is there a quick and easy way to go about it? Like a cheat code or something?"
"A cheat code?" Eun-woo repeated, unimpressed.
"Like a shortcut," Wooyun clarified.
Eun-woo scoffed. "If such a thing existed, we'd all be Primordials by now, wouldn't we? Unfortunately, the road to cultivation is long and arduous. Anyone who relies on so-called 'cheat codes' is a fool, doing more harm than good."
Wooyun watched as Eun-woo retrieved the wooden sword he had discarded after collapsing onto the ground, out of breath. His eyes narrowed as the young man approached and handed the blade back to him.
The unwavering gaze in Eun-woo's eyes made one thing clear—Wooyun wasn't getting another break. He groaned, snatching the wooden sword before dragging himself to his feet.
From that point on, Eun-woo showed him no mercy. Wooyun spent hours mindlessly striking trees, enduring grueling exercises on top of his usual training.
The only moments resembling rest—if they could even be called that—came when Eun-woo instructed him to absorb qi from nature. He would sit cross-legged on the ground, taking in the energy from the forest.
"You were once a sprouting seed, and now you've entered the flowing stream level. With your qi circulating more smoothly, you'll be able to absorb more and reach the next stage."
"How many levels are there?" Wooyun asked after finishing his cultivation.
"There are ten in total. You've already reached the first and will soon enter the second. Beginners often advance through the first two stages quickly, and those with talent can reach the Soaring Gale level within two months. But the real challenge comes after that. Breaking through to the Master level is difficult, but not impossible. At that stage, you begin refining qi and removing impurities to strengthen yourself."
Wooyun nodded thoughtfully. "What's the final level called?"
"Primordial Genesis. It's the godlike level—the pinnacle of cultivation. At that stage, your existence harmonizes with the elements, granting you the power to create or destroy at will."
Wooyun's eyes sparkled. His mind immediately jumped to a certain character in the novel who would one day reach such a status.
"So, what level are you at, Eun-woo hyung?" Wooyun asked innocently.
Since Eun-woo had barely been mentioned in the book, Wooyun was curious. He recalled Eun-woo calling himself a master earlier, but he wasn't sure where that placed him.
Upon asking, he immediately realized how intrusive the question might have been. In this world, one's cultivation level was as private as a home address or a social security number.
Eun-woo was momentarily stunned, though not by the question itself. Rather, something about the way Wooyun had addressed him felt strange. He couldn't quite place why—but oddly enough, he didn't mind it.
Before Wooyun could apologize, Eun-woo spoke. "I am a Rolling Thunder, veering into an Unshaken Mountain."
Wooyun blinked. "What?"
Eun-woo rolled his eyes. "You really need to study cultivation more. In short, I'm at the Master level, but I'll be advancing to Grandmaster soon."
"I see. No wonder you're so skilled," Wooyun remarked.
Eun-woo said nothing, but the tips of his ears reddened slightly at the compliment.
"I'm surprised you even answered my question. I only realized after saying it aloud how intrusive it might have been. I apologize if I offended you," Wooyun said, surprising him.
"So you do know shame," Eun-woo murmured, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
Unfortunately, Wooyun missed it, having bowed his head in genuine apology.
"It's fine," Eun-woo said after a moment. "But don't make a habit of asking people such personal questions. You were lucky it was only me."
"You're right. Luckily, you're one of the good ones, hyung!" Wooyun said brightly.
He glanced at the sky and realized how much time had passed. If he didn't hurry, he wouldn't make it back in time to prepare breakfast and finish his other chores. Snatching up his things, he shouted over his shoulder that he had to go.
Eun-woo watched his retreating figure, still dazed by Wooyun's words.
When Wooyun arrived home, Auntie Lim greeted him at the entrance. "You're lucky you got up early. The madam is going out today and will be taking breakfast earlier. Try not to upset her this time, Seo-yoon."
Wooyun nodded, relieved that his legs had grown strong enough to scale the hill quickly. It used to take him at least thirty minutes on a good day—now, he had nearly cut that time in half. Maybe Eun-woo wasn't just a sadist after all.
He completed his chores faster than usual, shocking Auntie Lim and the other servants. Even Kang Choon-hee ate breakfast with minimal complaints, which was practically a miracle.
Wooyun felt hopeful. Maybe she wouldn't assign him some humiliating task today.
But then she called his name, and his stomach twisted.
"I need you to go to the market and buy everything necessary for tonight's banquet. We'll be hosting some important guests, so don't mess it up."
Wooyun bowed slightly. "Yes, mother."
Yu-jun smirked.
Yes, keep smiling like that Yu-jun-ah, because that smile won't last for long. There was no way he was going to let that banquet take place. No way in hell.
Wooyun with gritted teeth, he made his way to the marketplace to get the things Choon-hee needed for this meal.
***Important note***
When it comes to qi refinement levels, there's a total of ten:
1. Sprouting seed (beginner)
2. Flowing stream (intermediate)
3. Raging ember (advanced intermediate)
4.Soaring gale (expert)
5. Rolling thunder (master) aka Eun-woo's level
6. Unshaken mountain (grandmaster)
7. Boundless ocean (saint)
8. Celestial Sun (emperor)
9. Void horizon (sage)
10. Primordial genesis (God-tier)