Chapter 1 : Child of Light?
In the year 1XX A.D., under the reign of the Yang Dynasty, a child was born into the esteemed and wealthy Baek family. His name was Chang-yu Baek.
When the infant first opened his tiny hands, a radiant glow filled the room — so bright that his parents had to shield their eyes. Slowly, the light faded, leaving only silence and awe behind.
Hunjin Baek, the father, stared in disbelief.
> “What a miracle,” he murmured. “My child... born with such beautiful hands.”
He blinked again, his heart racing.
> “Did—did his hands just glow?”
Sanhee Baek, his wife, held the child tightly.
> “Honey, what’s with our child?”
> “I don’t know,” Hunjin replied, still stunned. “Perhaps... he’s been blessed by the gods.”
---
Seven Years Later
The Baek family’s mansion echoed with laughter and the rustle of leaves.
> “Where is this child?” Hunjin called, his voice filled with mild annoyance.
Hiding behind a stone wall, little Chang-yu giggled.
> “Haha! Father will never find me here!”
His older brother, Gyujun, sighed from across the courtyard.
> “Chang, Father’s going to get mad if you keep hiding.”
> “But I wanna play! Hey, big bro, play with me!”
> “No. I’m busy cultivating right now.”
> “Please, big brother…”
> “Ugh… fine.”
Chang-yu’s face lit up.
> “Yey!”
---
That night, when the moonlight washed over the Baek residence, Hunjin sat beside his wife, his brows furrowed in thought.
> “Honey… I’ve noticed something about Chang-yu.”
> “He’s pretty normal, dear,” Sanhee chuckled.
> “No, that’s not what I mean. Yesterday, he saw me rubbing my back — it was aching badly. When he offered to massage it, I agreed. But as soon as he touched me, the pain… faded. It was like the ache dissolved into thin air.”
> “He might just be good at massaging,” Sanhee laughed again.
> “But he’s only seven! He’s never learned any techniques.”
> “Whatever it is, he’s still our child,” she said gently. “There’s nothing strange about that.”
> “But…”
> “Just sleep already.”
Hunjin fell silent. The candle flickered, casting restless shadows across the room.
---
The Next Day
> “Hey, big brother,” Chang-yu said, running up to Gyujun, who sat cross-legged under a willow tree. “How did you do that hand-movement thing? I wanna learn it too!”
Gyujun glanced at him and laughed.
> “That? Haha, silly. You have to train for at least a year to do that properly.”
> “Please, big brother! I really want to try!”
> “Ugh… fine. But don’t expect too much. You might hurt yourself.”
> “Thanks a lot, big brother!”
Gyujun straightened his posture, closing his eyes.
> “Watch carefully,” he said.
He began forming the Mul Sunhwan Hand Technique — a graceful, flowing movement that resembled water in endless motion. Each breath synced with his hand’s rhythm, cycling through his body and cleansing his soul with every turn.
Chang-yu watched with wide, fascinated eyes.
When the technique ended, Gyujun exhaled heavily.
> “Haa… that’s tough. I still can’t perfect it.”
> “That was amazing, big brother!”
> “Thanks. Now you try. But don’t push too hard — your body’s not ready yet.”
Chang-yu grinned.
> “Just watch, brother. Hehe.”
He steadied his breath, recalling every detail he had just seen. His hands began to move — clumsy at first, then smoother, more precise. He failed once, twice, thrice... but on the fourth try, the energy finally flowed.
A faint shimmer enveloped him.
Gyujun’s eyes widened in disbelief.
> “What the—?! How did you do that!?”
> “I just followed your movements,” Chang-yu said innocently.
> “Impossible… It takes years to learn that!”
> “I don’t know… it just came naturally.”
Gyujun looked at him — his little brother, whose hands glowed faintly under the morning sun.
> “Chang-yu… you might be a genius.”
> “I’m not a genius, brother,” he said softly, smiling.
But deep inside, something ancient stirred within him.
