Wu And Yue In The Same Boat

“What is qi deviation?”

Ju-un hesitated for a moment at Yun-seon’s question, then answered flatly.

“When the qi in your body twists, you lose control of yourself. That is what deviation is.”

“If qi twists, does it cause shortness of breath or tightness in the dantian?”

As Yun-seon was finishing the first stage of the Taiyi Divine Art, he often felt suffocated in his chest. He worried he might be succumbing to deviation.

“For an ordinary person, yes, it’s illness. But for a martial cultivator, it’s nothing to fear. Internal qi doesn’t just build gradually—it often breaks through in sudden enlightenment. When crossing such thresholds, qi sometimes flows backward.”

Yun-seon was relieved. It wasn’t death or becoming a cripple he feared, but that after nearly four years spent only laying a foundation, if he couldn’t overcome this, he would never avenge his master.

“Then how do you know when to stop training internal qi, or when you must stop?”

Ju-un thought for a long while, then asked gravely:

“Have you ever suddenly felt hot or cold?”

Yun-seon shook his head firmly.

“Then, have you had sudden changes in complexion or numbness in your extremities?”

When Yun-seon only shrugged, Ju-un finally relaxed her stern expression.

“If such symptoms appear during breathing practice, you must stop immediately. If not…”

“If not?”

When Yun-seon echoed her words, a crease deepened between Ju-un’s brows.

“At best, you’ll be paralyzed. At worst, you’ll die.”

Yun-seon still vividly remembered the day he met Right Shadow.

‘If I’m right, Right Shadow is already half-paralyzed. That must be why he never showed his face in kangho again.’

When he had forced Fire Qi into Yun-seon’s arm, his own face had flushed red like flame, blood vessels bursting in his eyes until they were crimson. It was clearly deviation.

‘If I can just take down the leader of the Black Butterfly Shadows, escaping Right Shadow’s grasp won’t be hard. But can my body endure it?’

Lost in such grim thoughts, they arrived at a cave. It looked like the lair of a hungry demon. Fear gripped Yun-seon.

“Don’t try anything!”

The deputy pricked him forward with his sword as Yun-seon faltered, then called softly toward the cave.

“Leader, I’ve brought the one you sought.”

“……”

No answer came, but faint, steady breathing betrayed someone inside.

“Go in. I’ll wait here. Our leader could kill you sitting down—don’t even think of tricks!”

Yun-seon nodded fearfully, but inside, he rejoiced.

‘Right Shadow can’t walk.’

If his guess was right, survival was possible. He would have to face him someday—this crisis was an opportunity.

He stepped cautiously into the damp, dripping cave. Such a place was ill-suited for someone already broken like Right Shadow.

“Who’s there?”

A rough, sharp voice came from ahead. He couldn’t see, but could tell the man was on guard.

“……”

Yun-seon froze, holding his breath—approaching rashly could be fatal with such a man.

When the other realized Yun-seon wouldn’t approach, Right Shadow lit a candle. The small cave was suddenly filled with light.

“Who are you?”

When Yun-seon saw his face, shock nearly caused him to collapse.

The man held a dagger, his right eye milky and blind. Half-bald with matted white hair, his face crusted with filth, his once ghostly pale skin now blotched—he was just a wretched, broken middle-aged man.

“What… what is this pitiful state…”

Yun-seon’s strength drained away. For four years he had sharpened his blade for revenge, haunted by the faces of the Black Butterfly Twin Assassins—the grotesque laughter, the torn mouths. Monsters he both loathed and feared. And yet,

“Why… why have you already been reduced to this?”

Yun-seon didn’t even know what he felt. Retribution should bring relief—but instead sorrow welled up. Revenge suddenly seemed meaningless.

“Could it be…”

“Yes, it’s me! Do you remember?”

Right Shadow studied him, then froze his arm. His heart dropped, then pounded—at last, he had found the one he sought. For a man wracked by daily seizures, fearing death at any moment, Yun-seon’s appearance was heaven’s gift.

“Ah… now I can live. Now… now I can live on.”

He pounded the ground, howling. His paralyzed lower body jerked feebly—pitiful enough to move any onlooker to tears.

“Come closer, come. I won’t harm you—never, never will I harm you.”

Right Shadow wept, stretching his hand, babbling coaxingly lest Yun-seon flee. Yun-seon felt only disgust.

“You killed my master and sahyung, crippled me—and now you welcome me? You think I’ll help you because you’re crippled?”

Yun-seon’s furious shout echoed in the cave. Right Shadow looked flustered, then smiled soothingly.

“You’re alive only because you trained in divine arts. You can help me. Do so, and I won’t harm you—more, I’ll help you take your revenge.”

“What?”

Yun-seon was stunned by Right Shadow’s words.

“You, my enemy, help me avenge? What, will you kill yourself before me?”

Right Shadow waved his hands in protest.

“No, I only acted on commission. My brother and I weren’t fools enough to challenge the Sword God. We were promised the Commentary on the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra if we obeyed.”

“What?”

Seeing Yun-seon waver, Right Shadow babbled excitedly.

“Think, boy. Even together, could we touch a hair of the Sword God? He was poisoned, then struck, his insides ruptured. That was why he couldn’t evade.”

Yun-seon reeled in shock, barely keeping upright against the wall.

“Th-then… who… who commissioned you?”

Yun-seon’s face went pale—another seizure was starting. He clenched his teeth, determined not to ruin this moment.

“What, you’ve only mastered the first stage?”

Right Shadow burst out laughing, clutching his belly. Dizzy, Yun-seon longed to silence him but couldn’t move.

“Recite the formula. Then I’ll teach you how to suppress the seizure.”

Right Shadow spoke slyly, brows drooping.

“The first stage of Taiyi Divine Art controls Fire Qi. I too was like you—only I rushed, so fire consumed me. At stage two, seizures can be halted. Recite the formula, and I’ll tell you how.”

“How can I trust you…”

Sweating, Yun-seon glared. Right Shadow grew agitated, raising his voice.

“You fool! Delay and neither of us will survive the night!”

When Yun-seon finished stage one, he realized he couldn’t progress. Only by chance, meeting Jeok-woo, had he deciphered the formula—on his own it was impossible.

He had read the formula countless times—it seemed mere philosophy. Even when hinted by Ju-un, she offered only evasions.

‘If I recite it, his condition will improve. Can I restrain him then?’

Even amidst chaos, Yun-seon reasoned swiftly. There was only one choice—survive this moment first.

“It’s not that I trust you. But if you’re still human, keep your word.”

“Yes, yes!”

Right Shadow rushed to agree, fearing Yun-seon’s change of heart.

His crippled body couldn’t be cured by calming Fire Qi anyway. His goal was the scripture, not killing Yun-seon—so he had no reason to break his promise.

Reading truth in Right Shadow’s desperate eyes, Yun-seon sat cross-legged, gathered qi, and began to recite the stage two formula.

“A year arises from Damp-Dry, Damp-Dry from Cold-Heat, Cold-Heat from the Four Seasons, the Seasons from Yin and Yang.”

Right Shadow’s face lit up. He too gathered his hands at his dantian, feeling the Fire Qi pooling instead of rampaging.

“Feel the qi at Middle Extremity and Crooked Bone, slowly raise it to Great Palace and Middle Epigastrum. Never suppress it—breathe slowly, open pores. Exert strength into the Blazing Valley points of your feet, and feel Cold Qi gather at the Kunlun points.”¹

Exchanging formula and interpretation, both gradually calmed their seizures.

By then, the full moon had faded, and a shy sun lit the sky.

오월동주 (吳越同舟), Wu and Yue in the same boat:²

A metaphorical expression describing a situation where people harboring hostility toward each other find themselves in the same position or must cooperate.