5 Internal energy?

"If he is rich or poor" Nodding, Sujin continued "If he is a child with a family with status, chances are that at this age they are learning etiquette, embroidery and some martial arts... still it all depends on the family, as many have different and somewhat strange customs".

"And the poor?"

"They usually start working at this age" Thinking for a few seconds, Sujin continued "The girls usually join the cult to train martial arts, some stay to help in the fields... the boys usually help in the home and prepare to get married."

"..." Blinking in a daze for a few seconds, Seojun asked "Girls to the army and boys prepare to get married?"

"I'm not saying they are all the same, but it's common" Nodding, Sujin continued "Since men are not very receptive to inner energy, they don't usually have much chance of joining the cult's army"

"Inner energy?"

"It's an energy that is absorbed through special breathing."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" With a face full of surprise, Seojun's eyes shone and he quickly asked "Can I absorb that energy?"

"Usually men don't usually have the talent to do so, but..." Looking at her son for a few seconds, Sujin nodded "You have a very rare body that is quite receptive to internal energy, you were also born with very healthy and receptive meridians."

"Then I can do it!?"

"Are you that excited? You don't even know what it's for" Chuckling, Sujin stretched out her hand and ruffled her son's hair, then pointed to the bathtub and smiled "Come in with mom and I'll teach you how to perceive internal energy"

"What is the inner energy for?" asking quickly, Seojun looked sideways at the crimson water of the bathtub and continued "And no, I'm not going into that dirty water."

"You say I'm dirty?"

"Yes, you are"

"..." Squinting her eyes at Seojun, Sujin was silent for a few seconds and snorted "You don't respect your mother"

"What is the internal energy for? "

Rolling her eyes, Sujin snorted and replied "It serves to improve your body, have better health, have more strength, speed, improve memory, improve skin and much more...it also increases your life expectancy"

"It makes you live longer?" Opening his eyes wide, Seojun asked in surprise.

"Yes" Chuckling, Sujin continued "Generally a person who doesn't train, ages much faster than someone who does... you can say that their life expectancies is not even one fifth of ours"

"Wow... that's a long time" Muttering in a daze, Seojun was silent for a few seconds and asked "How long will you live?"

"I still have enough vitality to keep squeezing your cute cheeks for much longer" Smiling with amusement, Sujin suddenly stood up and stretched her hands towards her son, then quickly took off his baggy yukata and put him into the bathtub.

"..." With a displeased face, Seojun wrinkled his nose and reluctantly sank into the warm water, only to then look at his mother with a frown "I told you I didn't want to get in."

"But I wanted to hug you" Smiling disinterestedly, Sujin took her son and sat him on her legs, then pressed him against her body and rested her chin on his head "You're so soft."

"Mother, if you keep bathing in blood, the smell will permeate your body."

"And is that a bad thing?"

"Yes, because if you smell blood, I promise not to hug you anymore"

Opening her eyes wide as the horror spread across her face, Sujin stammered "A-are you kidding?"

"You want to find out?"

"You're evil."

"I'm the son of the heavenly demon, it's in my genes."

"Heh~" Letting out an amused laugh, Sujin continued "But what can I do? I enjoy it when you wipe off my blood"

Rolling his eyes, Seojun snorted "If you want me to clean you, just ask. You don't need to bathe in blood."

"Couldn't you tell me that before? Do you know how many people ended up hurt because of you?"

"I don't want to know" With a stiff face, Seojun continued "But I hope there won't be more."

"I'm not promising anything" Laughing coldly, Sujin continued "But if you keep mom happy, certainly more people will have a better fate."

"..." Remaining silent for a few seconds, Seojun asked "Is it normal to kill outside?"

Nodding, Sujin yawned and replied "It's not uncommon to come across several corpses on a simple walk to some bar or inn."

"No one picks them up?"

"Usually the family is notified if they have any, but if no one claims them, we usually pick them up and burn them."

"That only happens in the cult?"

"Yes and no" Thinking for a few seconds, Sujin continued "Our cult certainly is very different from the outside, and in some ways there are a lot more deaths, but... the outside is not a good place either, after all, this world is run by the law of the strongest. If I were to go out and massacre an entire city, no one would have the guts to say anything to me, and if someone did, it's because that person is looking for death

"..."

"That's why I hope you understand that I can't allow you to go out" Gently kissing Seojun's head, Sujin continued "The world outside this cave is cruel, ruthless and cold... people you trust can betray you with a smile on their face, your wife can sell you to some brothel for some stupid gambling addiction, you can be killed for simply looking at someone or tripping over the wrong person"

"..." Slowly processing his mother's words, Seojun was silent as he thought 'Again talking about it... I'm not surprised by the cruelty he's talking about, I already estimated long ago that this world is in a period similar to the Bronze Age, a time where life expectancy was no more than 30 years. But I still find it strange the way he expresses himself'.

'Women selling their husbands in brothels, men learning embroidery, women being the majority in the military... men have a much lower average talent for cultivating inner energy... reverse society? It wouldn't be weird at all if you consider that women live longer and have more strength because of that rare internal energy... sigh, if only I could see the outside' Shaking his head, Seojun turned his gaze to his mother and watched her silently.

"What?" raising her eyebrows as she noticed her son's crimson eyes on her face, Sujin asked with interest "Did you get lost in your mother's beauty?"

"Mother, I want to trade with you."

"Where did you learn that term?"

"You taught it to me"

"I don't remember doing it."

"You're getting old."

"..."

"Do you want to trade?"

"And what do you have to offer?"

With a serious face, Seojun replied, "I promise you 100 kisses for whenever you want."

"Hoh" With a twinkle in her eye, Sujin raised an eyebrow "I'm quite interested in that, but what are you asking for?"

"I'll also give you something very special."

"And what would that be?"

"I promise to fulfill any of your requests 3 times."

Squinting suspiciously, Sujin commented "The son I remember having, he's not so generous..."

"Take me outside"

"Denied" Instantly losing her smile, Sujin looked at him coldly and continued "Don't exceed your limits."

"Mother..." With a face full of reluctance, Seojun turned around on his mother's legs and held her cheeks, then spoke with pleading in his voice "I will be by your side at all times, I promise not to let go of your hand for even a second"

"No, it's too dangerous-"

"I trust mom!" quickly interrupting his mother, Seojun continued "I know mom will never let anything bad happen to me!"

"..." Frowning slightly, Sujin's face became complicated as she looked at her son's face, then asked "Do you dislike being here that much?"

"I don't dislike being here" Shaking his head, Seojun sighed and continued "I enjoy hugging you, I enjoy sleeping with you and I enjoy talking to you, but... I would like to see what it's like outside, I would like to see the cult, I would like to meet that thing they call an inn, I would like to see a tree, I would even like to learn embroidery so I can make clothes for you... I don't want to spend my whole life locked up in this place."

"..."

"Mother... I promise never to be separated from you."

"*Sigh*" Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Sujin closed her eyes and remained silent for a few seconds, then opened them again and looked at her son seriously "500 kisses, you will bathe with me every time I want... if I ask you for a hug, you will have no right to refuse, no matter if I am bathed in blood or in dung"

"..." Opening his eyes a little wider, Seojun's face became hesitant for a few seconds, then he gritted his teeth and nodded "Fine!"

"You are forbidden to let go of my hand when you go out, you are forbidden to talk to another person, you are forbidden to eat in public, you are forbidden to touch another person, and you will have to wear a veil to hide your face at every moment"

"W-well" With a confused face, Seojun stammered while nodding "I promise."

"*Sigh*" Closing her eyes again, Sujin commented "We'll leave at dawn after your breakfast. I'll be out in a little while to get everything ready for you."

"Thank you mommy!" Smiling happily at having finally achieved his task that he has been working towards for a long time, Seojun hugged his mother's neck and kissed multiple kisses on her cheek, causing Sujin's smile to grow slightly.

"Who knew my own son would extort money from me?"

"It's a fair exchange."

"Do you think it's fair?" with a smirk, Sujin continued "I'm your mother, if I want I can force you to do what you promise me without giving you anything in return."

"You wouldn't dare" Narrowing his eyes at his mother, Seojun whispered.

"You think so?" Narrowing her eyes, Sujin snorted.

Smiling, Seojun gently kissed her mother's forehead and snorted "You wouldn't dare."

"You are cruel."

"I inherited it from my mother"

"That's why you are my favorite son"

"I'm your only son"

"And for that alone you are my favorite."

"You say you wouldn't love me if you had another son?"

"How could that be possible? I love this shameless child" Laughing, Sujin squeezed Seojun's cheeks and continued with amusement "You know you're the only person who has the guts to try to trade with me?"

"What should I be afraid of? Do you know who my mother is?" with a smug face, Seojun snorted.

"..." Raising her eyebrows, Sujin laughed and stared at the face of the boy in her arms, then sighed with satisfaction and commented, "You're getting more and more talkative."

"Aren't you the same? You never used to say more than two words at a time."

"Mmmmm, maybe" Nodding with disinterest, Sujin continued "So you're going to want to learn about internal energy?"

"Isn't it obvious?" smiling broadly, Seojun nodded.

"Tell me one good reason to let you" Resting her chin on her fist, Sujin spoke with interest on her face.

"Mmmmm" Pursing his lips while thinking, Seojun replied after that. Seojun replied after a few seconds "I can defend myself if something bad happens."

"That's not a valid reason, that will never happen" Snorting, Sujin continued "You have two tries left"

Frowning while thinking deeply, Seojun replied after a few seconds "I'll become more handsome"

"That's slightly acceptable" With an amused face, Sujin continued "But not quite valid, try harder on the next one"

"You're annoying"

"I am"