Blink.
I awoke and stood up.
"Another regression, it seems."
Maybe there won't be any more regressions.
That's what I thought.
"Is it an endless cycle of regressions after all..."
But the more I regress, the more I lean towards the idea that my ability is not a single or finite regression, but an endless cycle of regressions.
"Damn it."
I shook my head and looked around.
Whoosh!
Section Chief Jeon's hand flew towards me.
I swiftly dodged his hand and moved mine.
Papapap!
With a speed too fast to see, I struck Section Chief Jeon's pressure points.
"Wh-what..."
I quickly shut his mouth as it was annoying, striking another pressure point to silence him.
Due to the rapidity of my movements, not only Section Chief Jeon but also the onlookers were clueless about what just happened.
"What's going on? Section Chief Jeon..."
"Why is he like that?"
I casually touched Jeon Myeong-hoon's shoulder and said,
"He seems to be paralyzed."
"Oh no, what a situation! We should quickly massage his body."
"Oh, I know a herb that's good for paralysis. I studied herbal medicine."
I pulled up a sleeping herb with its roots and brought it to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"Section Chief Jeon, you are paralyzed right now. In such a situation, if you keep being paralyzed, it could be really serious. You must take this immediately. If you stay paralyzed, you might become permanently disabled."
I approached Jeon Myeong-hoon, discreetly releasing the pressure point to enable him to move his mouth.
"Wait a moment! Get the dirt off it!"
"No! This herb is most effective in this state, and if you don't take it now, the efficacy will drop. I'll shake off some dirt, but you must take it quickly! Otherwise, you could end up permanently disabled!"
I emphasized the risk of permanent disability while bringing the dirt-covered herb to his mouth.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, although grimacing, eventually had to chew and swallow the herb along with the dirt.
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
The sound of chewing dirt was oddly satisfying.
'Take it as an honor, it's quite good for vitality after all.'
Of course, it had no effect on paralysis.
It's good for vitality and has a sedative effect.
Soon after, Jeon Myeong-hoon fell asleep.
I released the pressure point that had paralyzed him.
"What a day. Weird things keep happening, and now Section Chief Jeon is like this..."
"His body must have been tense because of the strange occurrences."
I made up some conversation, then looked around and said,
"It's strange, though. I know quite a bit about trees, and all the trees around here are species that are hard to find in Korea."
"Hmm, is that so? Anyway, where did our company car fall..."
"We're stranded."
I said the trees were not Korean, gradually intending to imprint that this world is not our world.
"It seems we are stranded, so I'll go see if there's a village or a road nearby."
"Hmm, how will you do that?"
I shrugged and quickly climbed the tallest tree nearby.
'I have no internal energy, but...'
Climbing a tree is possible with physical strength and agility.
Especially since I developed the ability to climb high places while learning infiltration skills in my past life.
Whoosh!
I quickly climbed to the top of the tree, pretended to look around a few times, then swiftly descended.
"You, how did you..."
"What did you do before?"
"Wow, Deputy Manager Seo, that's amazing."
"Did you do some kind of sport?"
"That's incredible..."
Director Kim Young-hoon, Chief Oh, Deputy Manager Kang, Deputy Manager Oh, and Manager Kim admired my athletic prowess in turn.
"Oh, I used to climb trees a lot as a kid."
"Still, your athletic sense seems very good."
"It's nothing. But I did see from up the tree. There are no villages or roads in sight."
"Heavens, you're not joking, are you?"
"Yes, I don't want to spend the night outdoors either. There's really just forest around here."
At my words, the others sighed in disappointment.
"It seems we're stranded. It's about to get dark, so let's divide into teams to look for the car and a place to stay nearby."
"Alright, let's do that."
Knowing they would insist on finding the SUV, I divided the teams and sent some to search for the car.
I went with a few others to the cave I stayed in before.
"Let's stay in the cave."
"Oh my, there's a perfect cave."
"What a relief..."
I took Deputy Manager Oh and Manager Kim with me to build a windbreak to block the entrance of the cave.
Then, I started a bonfire and roasted fruits and mushrooms.
As evening fell and night came, the others saw the light of our bonfire and joined us.
"Wow, did you three make all this?"
"No, we didn't do anything. Deputy Manager Seo did it all so swiftly!"
"Yes, it was like we had a Boy Scout with us."
"Deputy Manager Seo, I didn't know you were so capable."
I chuckled and handed them the roasted fruits and mushrooms.
"I learned a lot of things when I was younger. Please try these."
"It feels like we're on a camping trip. If only we hadn't gotten stranded, we would've been camping at our intended destination."
"Ah, there was so much meat and food in the SUV. Such a pity."
"But these mushrooms are really tasty, aren't they?"
My roasted mushrooms were a hit, and the company employees soon fell asleep after eating them.
Crackle, crackle...
After laying the sleeping employees down properly, I sat in front of the bonfire and took out some yellow bamboo roots I had dug up earlier.
Crunch, crunch...
I had already activated my Dantian with the Cheonji Heart Method.
I vividly remembered the Dragon Vein Qi Method, which had been ingrained in my meridians for 50 years in my previous life.
Woong...
After eating the yellow bamboo roots, I started to circulate my internal energy.
Soon, a volcanic surge of energy started bubbling in my Dantian.
I managed the surging energy of the ginseng using the path of the Dragon Vein Qi Method.
"Phew..."
I felt a surge of strength throughout my body.
I took one of the branches I had gathered and infused it with my internal energy, beginning to carve it with my bare hands.
Crack, crack...
As I carved the wood with my energy covered hand, the branch quickly transformed into a clean wooden sword.
Buzz, buzz!
I swung the wooden sword in the air.
It wasn't perfect, but not bad for practice.
"Phew..."
In my last life.
I died while swinging a sword at the peak of the first-rate.
'I thought I would gain some special enlightenment at the moment of death.'
It seemed too fictional to gain enlightenment at the brink of life and death.
I didn't gain any enlightenment, and my realm was still just at the high end of first-rate.
'100 years of wielding a sword...'
Yet, I still hadn't reached the Pinnacle Realm.
'So far.'
Not just the cultivators,
But even the minimum condition to become a cultivator, the Five Energies Converging to the Origin, was far away.
The Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, which could take me to the Five Energies realm, was beyond my comprehension as I hadn't reached the required Three Flowers Gather at the Summit realm.
Three Flowers was still far off, and the Pinnacle Realm, which could bring me there, was even more distant.
'How much more training do I need?'
Every peak master I met said the same thing.
From the Pinnacle Realm, it's a different world from the first-rate.
In fact, a first-rate master could never defeat a peak master in a one-on-one martial arts battle.
They literally lived in different worlds.
'Can I enter that different world?'
It took me 50 years to reach the second-rate from being ignorant of martial arts.
Another 50 years took me from second-rate to the top of first-rate.
'The Pinnacle Realm, can I reach it in this lifetime?'
All kinds of thoughts swirled in my head.
Everything I did seemed futile.
I felt a profound sense of powerlessness.
And when I felt powerless.
I stood up.
"It won't disappear anyway."
No matter how much I ponder, the fact that I am powerless won't change.
Nor will the fact that I am a talentless dullard, a waste.
But.
If I'm going to be useless whether I worry or not,
Let's be a hardworking waste.
Step by step,
I stepped out of the cave.
The night wind was cold, but the heat surged as I circulated the Dragon Vein Qi Method.
Buzz, buzz!
I shook off my distractions and unfolded the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
The sword technique was refined by my Young-hoon Hyung-nim in the previous life, adding 12 more moves to the original 12.
I unfolded all the derived moves and auxiliary techniques from the 24 techniques of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Sharp sounds of slicing air echoed in front of the cave.
Swish!
My wooden sword sliced through a falling leaf.
Suddenly, as I watched the scene, a surge of determination rose in me, and I approached the floating leaf, swinging my sword again.
Because I didn't infuse my internal energy into the sword, the leaf simply flew upward upon being struck by the wooden sword.
"More, more...!"
I cleared my mind of distractions.
Chasing the leaf, I continued to execute my swordsmanship.
The 24 moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
86 derivative techniques.
Combination moves, variations.
Numerous strokes extended from my hands.
At some point, I realized I was constantly swinging my sword at a single leaf, enraptured in ecstasy.
"Just a bit more, just a little more..."
It felt like my body was being absorbed into the martial art.
"Is this... enlightenment?"
Buzz, buzz!
Seemingly within reach, yet elusive.
Just like how I couldn't catch that leaf without internal energy.
For how long did I swing my sword mindlessly?
Suddenly, I realized dawn was breaking.
I had been up all night.
"Just a little more, just a bit more...!"
One more step was all it took!
Dawn breaks.
Slash!
Swoosh!
My plain wooden sword cleanly sliced through the hovering leaf.
Not a withered leaf, but a fresh green one.
"I'm almost there, almost...!"
Then, suddenly, I felt my left arm trembling.
"This is..."
Ignoring the trembling and continuing with the sword dance, or stopping for a moment.
"No, it can't be. Enlightenment is just around the corner...!"
My eyes became bloodshot.
But my arm trembled too much.
"Damn it...!"
Eventually, I had to put down the sword.
"Gasp... Huff...!"
And then, I understood why my arm trembled.
Because I'm a regressor.
At this time, at this moment.
Knowing what's about to happen.
I had involuntarily anticipated the pain of the fox soon to bite my arm and trembled in advance.
"Damn it!"
I picked up the sword again and resumed the sword dance.
However...
Enlightenment did not come.
As if it had run away the moment I dropped the sword.
"Damn it!!!"
What was I afraid of?
What exactly?!
The path to the peak was right in front of me!
I bit my lip hard enough to bleed.
"If I see the the Way (Dao) in the morning, dying in the evening is of no concern ()!"
I felt aggrieved.
A once-in-a-lifetime enlightenment, carelessly lost due to needless fear.
"Aaaaaah!"
I screamed and deeply resolved in my heart.
From today onward, even if I die in the evening, I will not give up the Way I could attain in the morning.
Holding the sword, I made this vow.
***
I gave my arm to the fox that approached me that morning, cutting it off myself. It was a symbolic act of cutting off any future hesitation.
After eating my arm, the fox allowed us to stay and then left. Without paying attention to the others, I went to a quiet part of the forest and continued to swing my sword, striving to regain that enlightenment!
But a day passed, then two, and on the third day, when the cultivators came and kidnapped my colleagues, even though I swung my sword relentlessly without eating, sleeping, or resting, the enlightenment did not return.
I stopped only on the fourth day, right after Sea Dragon King Seo Hweol kidnapped Deputy Manager Oh. I prepared a feast for Manager Kim and Kim Young-hoon, who were sitting in despair, adding spices to the grilled mushrooms.
The three of us ate the feast and shared our last conversation. Soon after, Manager Kim awakened her abilities and from afar, an old man riding a giant puppet appeared.
The old man, after a brief struggle with Manager Kim, pushed me and Kim Young-hoon into a spatial rift and we were thrown away.
I closed my eyes for the last time seeing Manager Kim reaching out to us.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself on a tree.
'Hmm...'
I used my agility to descend and found that Kim Young-hoon was also tangled in another tree. After helping him down, I surveyed the area.
'This is the southwestern part of Yanguo.'
In my past life, wandering through the country, managing the Palace of Heavenly Demons and Gwiyeonggak, I gained confidence in roughly determining my location anywhere within Yanguo.
'After about 100 years of wandering around Yanguo.'
Of course, I didn't know every nook and cranny of the country, but I could generally figure out where I was.
'Wake up, Director.'
I woke up Kim Young-hoon and explained the situation to him. He seemed panicked but accepted it reasonably after all that had happened. Together, we headed to the nearest city, while I taught him letters and the language along the way.
After a few days, we reached the nearest city, Hobeok city. We sold medicinal herbs and bought a manor. I taught him literacy, language, and the Severing Vein Saber Technique, a saber technique he created in his past life by modifying my Severing Mountain Swordsmanship. After following my teachings, he became a peak master in just three months.
'It feels a bit empty.'
Some spend their entire lives barely reaching the top of first-rate, while others reach the peak in just three months.
'And to think he's achieved Three Flowers Gather at the Summit...'
I watched him eating a yellow bamboo root and the floating Three Flowers above his head.
'Sigh...'
After he finished his cultivation, he stood up with a relaxed expression.
"Ha ha, I think I could even beat you now, Deputy Manager Seo."
'...'
I watched him, energetic, and felt bittersweet inside.
He was is the 'Young-hoon Hyung-nim' I knew from my past life. Now, mentally, he was much younger than me.
'If we go by the time we lived, I'm old enough to be Director Kim Young-hoons great grandfather.'
Watching his excitement, I thought about not accompanying him in this life.
'...Director, I have something to tell you.'
"Something? Oh, sure. Don't worry. I'll teach you this martial art well..."
"Starting today, I will go my separate ways from you, Director."
'What?'
He looked at me, bewildered.
'Why, Deputy Manager Seo. No, Seo Eun-hyun.'
"Exactly as I said. I plan to travel separately from you, Director."
'Why?'
"Because..."
Memories of Young-hoon Hyung-nim from my past lives flashed through my mind.
The first life, where he rose to prominence as the leader of the Wulin Alliance but eventually learned about the world of cultivators, fought them, despaired, and collapsed. The second life, where he established the world's best faction, rebelled against the cultivators, massacred them, but eventually gave up the path of martial arts and chose to become a cultivator himself.
Probably, it would be the same in this life. This life too, he would rise to prominence, learn martial arts, fight cultivators, despair in front of them, and choose to become a cultivator.
I no longer wanted to see him despair.
'...I am.'
But I couldn't say that.
'I want to travel the world and elevate my realm.'
'But I can teach you that too...'
'I want to do it alone.'
'No, you can't. How can I live without you?'
'You'll be fine, Director. I've taught you writing, language, and martial arts. You've become a peak master on your own. You don't have to worry anymore.'
'But...'
He looked dejected.
'Am I going to be separated from my fellow countrymen again?'
It seemed the shock of being transported to another world and losing all his colleagues in a short time had not yet fully subsided.
'Then let's meet once every two years at this house. How about that?'
'...Hmm.'
After persuading the gloomy Kim Young-hoon, I parted ways with him and left the city.
Staying by his side, guided by the world's greatest martial expert, I could reach the Pinnacle Realm faster. However, I no longer wanted to see him despair.
After leaving the city, I looked around the landscape.
'First, I should go to Seokyung city.'
I thought of visiting the 4 Stars 3 Demons of the capital of Yanguo.
With many excellent peal cultivators in Seokyung citys seven sects, I thought I might receive their teachings.
'I'll try some martial arts duels.'
But off course, I had no intention of messing with big sects like the 4 Stars 3 Demons. It's better not to touch such places until I become a peak master, as it would bring trouble.
I went to a small sect on the outskirts of Seokyung city, Hall of Eight Respects.
Hall of Eight Respects was a medium-sized sect in Seokyung city, and its leader was a top-notch first-rate expert.
When I arrived at the Hall of Eight Respects, two gatekeepers blocked my way.
'What brings you to the Hall of Eight Respects?'
Dressed in fancy martial robes bought with money from selling herbs, the gatekeepers were polite to me. I returned their greeting and stated my purpose.
'I've come to request a martial arts duel at the Hall of Eight Respects.'
At my words, the gatekeepers' eyebrows twitched.
"Our hall isn't a place where just anyone can come..."
Whoosh!
I swiftly unsheathed my sword and sliced through the gatekeeper's clothes without touching him. The sword energy cut through his front garment. Realizing I had used sword energy, the gatekeepers' faces turned pale.
"Sword energy...!"
"A first-rate master!"
"Do I still look like 'just anyone' to you?"
The two gatekeepers asked me to wait and went inside the Hall of Eight Respects. After a while, one of the guards, sweating profusely, returned to the gate.
"Please, come inside. The master awaits you."
I followed the gatekeeper into the Hall of Eight Respects and towards the sparring ground inside the main building. There, a middle-aged man with a long beard was waiting with a nine-section whip in hand.
"Well, I wondered who the first-rate master was, but I didn't expect such a young hero."
"I am Seo Eun-hyun, a humble and unknown warrior. I am honored to meet the master of the Hall of Eight Respects."
"Ha, such a young hero, and yet your martial arts spirit is not ordinary."
"Your martial arts spirit is also extraordinary, master. Please bestow your teachings upon this humble warrior."
After brief courtesies, we began our sparring match.
Clang!
The master of the Hall of Eight Respects initiated the first move. His nine-section whip struck like a serpent, movements full of discipline. It felt as if his martial arts had become one with him. I countered his attacks using the moves of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Simultaneously, the master of the Hall of Eight Respects launched a kick from behind his whip.
Whoosh!
I ducked his kick and attacked with a lower stance, breaking through his guard.
Clang!
His whip fell towards me, but I quickly stepped back and assumed a defensive stance.
"...Your sword form and momentum are completely unified. Sword-body Unity... Late first-rate"
"You too have completely melded your martial arts into your being, master. I am learning a lot from this."
"Ha...ha..."
He sighed while looking at me.
"To reach such a stage at such a young age. You truly are a genius."
"Genius..."
I let out a bitter smile.
Surely, to outsiders, I am an immense genius. Being in the late stage of first-rate mastery in my late twenties is indeed a miracle.
If you consider that even first-rate mastery takes decades for ordinary people to reach, I must seem like a divine prodigy from the outside.
"A heaven-sent talent..."
But I knew the truth. I was not a genius bestowed by heaven. I was not a genius at all.
"...Thank you for praising my inadequate talent."
To me, being called a genius was not a compliment.
While geniuses are rare in the world, mediocrity abounds. Being compared to a genius, despite being a mediocre who couldn't even reach the first-rate in a lifetime without the advantage of regression, would be nothing short of deception.
Thus, I decided to embrace the title of genius.
"I will now use sword energy."
"Go ahead. I will give it my all too."
At the same time, we both lunged towards each other.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
First move.
Transcending Peaks().
I swung my sword from left to right at mid-level, creating a crescent moon-shaped sword energy that sliced towards the master of the Hall of Eight Respects.
He dodged my attack by bending his waist but countered with a low stance using his whip.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Second move.
Entering Mountain ().
Swish!
I quickly switched to a low stance, countering his whip at the same height.
Our weapons clashed, sending off sparks.
Boom!
The master of the Hall of Eight Respects leaped into the air and struck down with his whip.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Third move.
Ascending Vein ().
I raised my sword from the low position, deflecting his whip and preparing to counterattack.
Fourth move ().
Flowing Ridge ().
I gently thrust my sword in a fluid motion. He tried to block with his whip, but my sword twisted and spiraled, piercing through his defenses.
He narrowly dodged my thrust, but the spiraling sword energy grazed his garment.
Seizing the opportunity, I continued with my next moves.
Fifth move, Bouldered Cliff ().
Sixth move, Strange Stone ().
Twirling the sword like a dance, creating an impenetrable whirl of sword strokes, I gradually increased my sword speed.
Whirling, whirling, whirling!
Seventh move, Deep Mountain ().
Using the rotational force, I launched an attack.
The master of the Hall of Eight Respects tried to strike me down with his nine-section whip, but thanks to the strange variations developed from the sixth move, I managed to infiltrate his guard.
"Hmm...!"
After breaching his defense, I twisted my body from lower right to upper left and made my strike.
Whoosh!
The master of the Hall of Eight Respects managed to avoid my sword strike by turning a full circle, but my sword energy sliced through the front of his garment.
Simultaneously, he used his momentum from the turn to lash out his nine-section whip towards me.
Eighth move, Secluded Valley ().
I swung my sword again, deflecting the master's whip, effectively neutralizing the force within it.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The master stepped back and swung his whip three times in succession.
I countered by raising my sword to the upper left.
Ninth move, Landscape Painting ().
Striking down to the lower right, then again using my internal energy to strike to the upper right and again to the lower left three times in a row.
A total of six strikes successfully parried his whip.
I raised my sword in a high stance, pulling up my internal energy.
Tenth move, Dragon Vein ().
The internal energy from the Dragon Vein Qi Method surged explosively.
An enormous force filled my sword, slashing towards the master with a fierce momentum.
"Ugh!"
Boom!
The master countered with his whip, and our weapons collided, creating a sound like an exploding cannon.
"Ugh!"
The master grimaced from the shock transmitted through his fingertips and spun around, lashing his whip towards me.
'Four times!'
His whip attack came at me four times.
Eleventh move, Cliff Edge ().
Crack!
I applied the technique of a thousand-pound weight to my sword filled with internal energy.
The sword became incredibly heavy.
Simultaneously, the sword energy embedded in the sword pierced through the sparring ground floor.
I slashed upwards through the ground, striking the master.
"Argh!"
Swoosh!
Even though my sword was stuck in the ground, it moved swiftly. As soon as it was freed, the speed was incomparably faster than before.
The master, taken aback by the sudden increase in speed, was sliced by my sword across his garment again.
'It's time to finish this.'
Twelfth move, Seven Lights Emerging Peak ().
As the sun rises behind the mountains, illuminating the world with its light,
Seven streams of sword energy flowed beyond the eleventh move.
Clang!
Finally, the master's whip was cut by my sword energy and fell outside the sparring ground.
"Ah, I am defeated."
"It was a good opportunity."
I respectfully bowed to him and then left the Hall of Eight Respects.
'The Hall of Eight Respects, even in my past life, was known for its upright practices and not resorting to underhanded tactics.'
My plan was to challenge honorable factions like the Hall of Eight Respects in future sparrings, gaining some renown before facing the more dubious factions.
Continuing these duels, I was determined to...
'Reach the Pinnacle Realm in this lifetime!'
In this life, I will make it happen for sure!
***
I toured four more mid-sized factions in Seokyeong City.
Among them, I lost the sparring matches at Eunryubo and Hwiyeongmun, but won at Gaejubang and Yugwolbo.
Having gained some modest fame, I then visited mid-sized factions classified as part of the unorthodox sects, including the Hoejaeng faction.
"Recently, I heard about a young elite swordsman challenging others to duels throughout Seokyung City. It turns out to be you."
The Hoejaeng faction, known as an unorthodox sect in Seokyung City, greeted me with a hearty laugh as soon as I arrived.
The faction leader of Hoejaeng, an old man with a long beard and wearing a gray robe, seemed like a hermit due to his unique aura. The elders of Hoejaeng also carried a cultivator-like air.
"Unfortunately, I've injured my right arm in the past few days, so I will not be able to spar. Instead, the elders of our faction will take on this challenge."
Following the faction leader's words, a robust-looking middle-aged man with a pleasant smile stood up.
"I am Taek Jeok-yeop, the first elder of the faction, and I will be your opponent."
"I, too, request a good match."
Shortly after, we stood on the sparring stage and assumed our starting stances.
"Let the duel"
Boom!
"Begin!"
Before the overseeing faction leader could even announce the start, Taek Jeok-yeop charged at me with his saber, initiating the attack.
'So, this is the nature of the unorthodox sects.'
Unperturbed, I infused my sword with energy and countered his attack.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Second Move, Entering Mountain ()!
Swoosh!
I ducked under his charging saber in a mid-stance and then, with a low stance, aimed a slash at his lower body.
Whack!
However, Jeok-yeop nimbly leapt into the air, evading my sword, and plunged down with his saber.
'Facing it head-on is dangerous.'
But retreating would only put me under constant pressure.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Eighth Move, Secluded Valley ().
Whoosh!
Clang!
I countered his saber with my sword, diverting the direction of his forceful strike. The saber, narrowly missing me, made a thunderous noise as it shattered the ground of the sparring stage.
I seized the brief moment right after Jeok-yeop's strike to launch a counterattack.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Fifth Move, Bouldered Cliff ().
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
I twirled on the spot, like performing a sword dance, creating an impenetrable defense with my sword movements.
Jeok-yeop took a step back to avoid getting entangled and I didnt miss the chance to thrust forward again.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Fourth Move, Flowing Ridge ()!
Boom!
The undulating sword movements, like the ridges of a mountain, surged towards Jeok-yeop.
Jeok-yeop swung his saber to fend off my attack, but the sword energy writhed and snaked its way into his guard.
'Now to finish this off...'
Ffft!
At that moment, something tiny and sharp shot precisely towards my eye.
"!"
I was startled and dodged, retracting my sword.
"A needle?"
It was a tiny needle.
Jeok-yeop had fired it from his mouth, a hidden needle mechanism at his disposal.
"This too is part of my martial arts, so I hope you won't take offense."
Jeok-yeop, with his amiable smile, came at me again with his saber.
I felt refreshed.
'So, the unorthodox sects use many unusual tactics.'
Clearly, based on pure martial arts, Jeok-yeop was several levels below the master of the Hall of Eight Respects.
Had I pressed on with my sword a bit more, I could have disarmed him completely.
But with such unexpected techniques like the hidden needle, his actual combat ability might be higher than that of a righteous martial artist.
'Such experiences, I couldn't have gained them by the side of Young-hoon Hyung-nim.'
He was the best in the world, a noble and upright hero.
Though he was called the Extreme Demon in my past life, it was because he defied cultivators, not because he was sinister.
Thus, sparring with him always involved pure martial artistry, lacking in dealing regarding such unpredictable situations.
Moving forward, my experience would grow through countless duels with unorthodox sects.
'While I wasn't without real combat experience in my past life, it was mostly large-scale battles, confrontations with cultivators, or following Young-hoon Hyung-nim in raiding government offices...'
I hadnt had much experience in such direct confrontations with unorthodox sects, especially not with an elite from the unorthodox sects like this!
Clang, clang, clang!
Jeok-yeop's saber slashed at me three times in quick succession.
At the same time.
Pfft, pfft, pfft!
He continuously shot those barely visible thin needles at me, which was quite distracting.
'Alright, let's end this.'
I decided to play my trump card.
In dealing with such troublesome types, it's best to crush them in one go.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Ninth Move, Landscape Painting ().
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Sixth Move, Strange Stone ().
Combining six diagonal slashes with variations, I accelerated the sword movements.
Flash!
Six slashing attacks countered both the incoming needles and the saber, finding an opening amid the intermingled variations.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Seventh Move, Deep Mountain ()!
I charged into the opening and twisted from lower right to upper left, slashing upwards at him.
Swoosh!
I only sliced his garment, as it was a sparring match, and thus emerged as the winner of the duel.
"Duel, challenger Seo Eun-hyun wins!"
"A good duel indeed. Ha ha."
"I learned much from it."
I respectfully bowed to Jeok-yeop and was about to leave the sparring stage when something happened.
The faction leader of Hoejaeng, stroking his beard, loudly announced.
"Then, let's proceed with a consecutive duel () right away!"
What?
Surprised, I questioned him.
"What do you mean by a consecutive duel? I wasn't informed of this beforehand."
"Uh? Did I not mention it? I thought I clearly suggested a series of three consecutive duels and you agreed, didn't you? Everyone, you heard me say that, right?"
"Yes, the leader is right."
"I heard it clearly too."
The elders of Hoejaeng unanimously nodded, and I couldn't hide my frustration.
'These people...'
Is this what being part of the unorthodox sects means?
'Did they never intend to let me win and leave?'
"Do you not suppose if I win and leave, I plan to spread rumors about Hoejaeng's dishonor?"
"Don't worry, young one."
The faction leader smiled benignly.
"You'll be slightly wounded in our faction's duel, develop gangrene from the wound, and eventually die. We'll take good care of you, but despite our best efforts, you'll unfortunately pass away."
"You're all mad."
Their way of thinking was entirely different.
"Did you have no intention of letting me leave if I won?"
"Did our Hoejaeng faction ever appear to be a righteous sect to you? We are an illegal organization that has not been officially recognized by the authorities. Coming to an illegal organization and requesting a duel is akin to storming into a bandit's lair."
"...Well."
I just laughed wryly.
"I knew that."
Though the martial world is said to be divided between the Righteous and the Unorthodox factions, it was actually overwhelmingly dominated by the Righteous faction.
Fundamentally, the term 'Righteous faction' refers to martial sects that have mastered the orthodox martial arts. However, in Yanguo, the 'Righteous faction' specifically means martial arts schools that have received official authorization from the government authorities.
On the other hand, the 'Unorthodox faction' signifies groups of warriors who band together to engage in illegal activities.
As such, the Unorthodox faction could never operate openly, unlike the Righteous faction, which always stood in the light. Most unorthodox organizations were not officially recognized or authorized by the government authorities.
Obviously, by conventional standards, my act of requesting a duel with an illegal organization was insane. It was no different from storming into a bandit hideout to challenge them to a duel.
Of course, the martial sects within the city, unlike bandit hideouts, did have some similarities with regular righteous sects, but essentially, they were no different, making my action a bizarre act.
But...
"...However, not all unorthodox factions are crazy illegal organizations. From what I know, some still have a sense of pride as martial artists. It seems Hoejaeng is not one of them."
My intrusion into the unorthodox faction to request a duel was not without thought. Based on information I gathered from my previous life, I sought out unorthodox organizations that maintained the pride of martial sects, and Hoejaeng was one of them.
Twitch
At my words, the eyebrows of Hoejaeng's leader twitched.
"...Pride doesn't put food on the table. Not doing despicable acts doesn't make a sect prosperous..."
"What I think doesn't matter to you... But those who lack even the minimum pride will remain in the same place all their lives."
"..."
Of course, I could say this because I knew that Hoejaeng would transform into a righteous sect in a few years.
"...Still, it changes nothing. As the dominant force in this area, we have a duty to take care of a fool who dared to request a duel with us."
Click, click, click, click, click!
Excluding the first elder, ten elders of Hoejaeng surrounded me.
"Let's start the second continuous battle!"
"...You talk well."
10 against 1 in a duel?
The thought process of these unorthodox people were ridiculous, but...
'After all, I came here for this.'
I smirked and extended my sword towards the ten elders surrounding me.
"Come at me. I will accept it."
Thus, the duel began.
In Seokyung City, a young martial artist began to make a name for himself. He went to the unorthodox faction Hoejaeng to request a duel and became the subject of ridicule. Requesting a duel with an illegal organization! It was no different from challenging a bandit hideout.
Everyone expected the young martial artist to be found dead the next day.
A day passed, and people speculated that the martial artist had been killed.
Two days passed, and rumors spread that Hoejaeng had killed the martial artist and buried his body beneath their sect.
On the third day, people mourned the death of the young martial artist.
However, on the evening of the third day, the martial artist emerged from Hoejaeng's stronghold, covered in blood.
He then went to an inn, ordered noodles and dumplings, and immediately went to another sect to request another duel.
Later, it was revealed that Hoejaeng had engaged in endless continuous battles with the martial artist. Dozens of Hoejaeng's fighters took turns battling the martial artist, day and night, without rest.
The young martial artist fought all of them, defeating every one of them over three days and nights. Hoejaeng, true to their unorthodox nature, even had those who had been defeated and recovered rejoin the battle, but the martial artist crippled anyone who tried to challenge him again.
Finally, on the third day, all the unorthodox masters of Hoejaeng combined forces to face the young martial artist, but he overcame them all and escaped from Hoejaeng.
Immediately after eating noodles, the martial artist went on to challenge another sect.
The young martial artist's insane actions became the talk of Seokyung city, and he was given a fitting nickname.
The Infinite Fighting Spirit, Seo Eun-hyun!
That was me.
"Slurp!"
After roaming through thirty-three smaller sects in Seokyung city and eating noodles at an inn, I reflected on my experiences.
'Dueling with righteous factions doesnt exhaust me as much as those with unorthodox factions.'
During my last encounter at Hoejaeng, I almost lost my life.
'Those shameless brutes...'
Even Taek Jeok-yeop, who first lost to me, returned to the duel arena after regaining his strength when I became fatigued from continuous fighting.
When their despicable tactics became blatant, I started using underhanded methods too. Pretending to clean my sword, I secretly applied poison from toxic herbs onto the blade.
In my past life, when I became chief strategist of the Wulin Alliance, I had studied medicine and reached the level of a top-class physician and also worked at the medical hall of Fighting Dragon Stronghold. But being a top-class physician also meant being a top-class poisoner. The line between healing and killing was indeed very thin.
Fighting with poison made the battles much easier. As soon as my sword, smeared with poison, grazed any of Hoejaeng's fighters, they immediately collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
Eventually, Hoejaeng started using poison against me too. However, I was a top-class physician.
'Their basic and cheap poisons couldnt affect me.'
The poisons used by Hoejaeng could easily be neutralized by antidotes and medicinal herbs I had prepared in advance.
The leader of Hoejaeng, in his fury, gathered all their combatants to keep me captive for three days and nights.
'That mad old man...'
It felt like endless waves of underlings were being thrown at me, as if they had cloning technology. The fighters of Hoejaeng, upon realizing their continuous losses, eventually resorted to openly attacking me with spears and arrows, forming battle formations.
'If I hadnt taken hostages, I would have really been killed.'
In the end, I had to rush at the leader of Hoejaeng, overpower him, and take him hostage to save my life. But even that was not enough, as the elders of Hoejaeng ignored their leader's plight and continued to order my death, forcing me to fight the entire sect on the last day.
'If I hadnt used poison, hostages, stimulants, and narcotics, I would have been dead.'
On the last day, I was so exhausted that I consumed stimulants like a madman. Even after escaping Hoejaeng, I was still under the influence of stimulants, strong enough to request another duel at another righteous sect without any problem.
"Sigh..."
Thinking back on that day, I couldn't help but sigh.
Apart from Hoejaeng, other unorthodox sects were similarly ruthless. Initially, they seemed to agree to a fair duel, but as soon as I won, they forced continuous battles. If I continued to win, the surrounding disciples would draw their hidden weapons and attack me all at once.
In such ways, many unorthodox underlings would drain my strength. I would then consume stimulants, spread poison, and fight back against the unorthodox attackers. When my strength was completely drained, I would flee with all my might. If I had enough strength left, I would fight against the entire unorthodox faction, defeat them, and then leave.
After such a 'duel,' I would take more stimulants and request another duel at a nearby righteous sect. There was no fear for my life in the righteous sects, so it didnt matter whether I won or lost. Afterward, whether I lost or won, I would ask to spend the night at the righteous sect. Inside their premises, I didnt have to worry about attacks from the unorthodox factions, so I could rest peacefully.
In this manner, I roamed through numerous righteous and unorthodox sects in Seokyung city, dueling like a madman. While I was called the crazy lunatic, Infinite Fighting Spirit, by the public, I didnt care.
'I lack talent.'
The path to the pinnacle I seek to reach is impossibly distant for my talent. Therefore, I must constantly fight, crossing the boundaries of life and death. That's how I must reach that realm.
What must one do to overcome a wall without talent?
'Go mad.'
If one lacks talent, one must possess madness. That's the only way for a dullard to behold the same world as a genius.
And so, I ransacked not just Seokyung city but all over Yanguo, visiting numerous righteous and unorthodox sects, dueling relentlessly. Two years passed in this manner.
It's been a while.
I arrived at our first house in the mountain where I had promised to meet Kim Young-hoon.
Over the past two years, my reputation has spread throughout Yanguo, especially after causing a stir in various sects of Seokyung city. Consequently, the Four Stars Three Demons of Seokyung city even attempted to recruit me, which I neatly declined. Taking on organizational responsibilities inevitably eats into personal time, and with my limited talent, that could prevent me from overcoming the pinnacle barrier in this lifetime.
During these two years of causing chaos, I engaged in duels with the righteous factions and accumulated real combat experience under the guise of duels with the unorthodox factions. There were even times when I narrowly escaped death after being ambushed by bounty hunters in inns, set upon me by the unorthodox factions.
My real combat experience has grown tremendously, to the point where I can confidently claim at least a ten percent chance of winning against any late first-rate expert, regardless of their strength. However...
'I still can't even see the wall of the Pinnacle Realm, let alone reach it!'
How much more do I need to achieve to attain this Pinnacle Realm?
Sighing, I entered the house to keep my appointment with Kim Young-hoon.
"Ha ha, who do we have here if not the famous Infinite Fighting Spirit, Seo Eun-hyun?" he greeted me in martial world jargon.
"...I'm also honored to meet the renowned Young-hoon," I replied with a salute.
"Ah, this Young-hoon title never sits right with me. What's wrong with this world that theres no Kim clan?"
"Well, if you dislike Young-hoon, you might have to be called Geum-hoon instead," I suggested jokingly.
"Tsk, not to my liking," he grumbled.
"Whats there not to like, Young-hoon, one of the Three Great Warriors, the Absolute Mountain Saber?"
Indeed, Kim Young-hoon, who had mastered the Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, had reached the status of one of the Three Great Warriors in just two years in this life.
'Hes grown even faster than his previous self.'
Could this life's Kim Young-hoon defeat a cultivator?
His martial arts, inheriting the enlightenment that the previous Kim Young-hoon had wrung out of his entire life, were strengthening much faster than before.
'Maybe...'
Yes, maybe he could become even stronger.
"...Enough small talk, let's have a duel after a long time."
"Ha ha, I am honored to face the blade of one of the Three Great Warriors!"
We entered the indoor duel arena and began our duel.
'Ordinary techniques are useless against Kim Young-hoon.'
I began with full sincerity from the start.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, First Move, Transcending Peaks.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Twelfth Move, Seven Lights Emerging from the Peak.
I charged at him, performing a horizontal slash, followed by seven streaks of sword energy beyond the slash.
"Your skills have improved compared to two years ago," he noted.
Whoosh!
Kim Young-hoon, without even drawing his saber, casually swung the sheathed blade and dispersed all my sword energy into thin air.
"But still, it's clumsy."
"I'll have to show you something new."
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Thirteenth Move.
Joy of Mountains and Peaks.
I spun rapidly on the spot, slashing thrice, then raised my sword high and brought it down thrice.
The cross-directional slashes rained down on Kim Young-hoon.
From the thirteenth move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, each one was a technique worthy of being called a 'decisive move.'
'He can't dodge this!'
But Kim Young-hoon, without attempting to evade, extended his sheathed saber and, with a slow, smooth motion, diagonally swept his blade twice from below to above, effortlessly neutralizing my sword energy.
'Then, a strike that cannot be neutralized...'
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Fourteenth Move.
Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven!
Whoosh!
My whole body's energy greatly intensified.
Majestic internal energy flowed through my meridians and into my sword.
Energy as vast as a mountain, and the heart as vast as heaven!
The originally formless sword energy started to condense, faintly taking shape.
A form of Sword Silk, which should only be possible at the Pinnacle Realm, was forcibly manifested.
I executed the move, slashing diagonally upwards from right to left.
Kuagwang!
Formidable sword energy flew towards Kim Young-hoon.
He raised his sheathed saber and precisely targeted a spot in my sword energy.
In an instant.
Chang!
The intensified sword energy scattered in all directions, dissipating into nothingness.
"..."
I stared at him in disbelief for a moment.
Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven had always been my signature decisive technique, capable of splitting any opponent or technique in half with its terrifying power. I believed it would be effective even against peak-level masters. However, seeing it neutralized in an instant by his move brought a wave of frustration I couldn't help but feel.
"Your power is too dispersed. Concentrate your sword energy more intensely into a single intent," he advised.
"...Thank you for the advice."
"Now, it's my turn."
Without giving me a chance to react, he assumed his stance and softly announced his technique.
"Severing Vein Saber, Fourth Move, Mountain Wind."
Swoosh!
It's coming!
I quickly executed a technique to counter 'Mountain Wind.'
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Fifteenth Move.
Layered Mountain.
I swung my sword.
The sword energy emitted in one stroke split into three.
Swinging again, the three split into nine.
Swinging yet again, the nine split into twenty-seven.
Continuing to perform the sword dance, I further split my sword energy.
Soon, the space in front of me became densely filled with sword energy, like a thicket of thorns.
Bang!
The thrust of the Mountain Wind, nearly invisible, couldn't penetrate the wall of sword energy formed by Layered Mountains and dissipated.
"Haah... Hah..."
But after executing Layered Mountains, I was drenched in cold sweat, barely managing to stay upright. The mental strain was immense.
Splitting sword energy requires significant concentration.
Turning the energy into hundreds of pieces, forming a wall like a thicket of thorns with Layered Mountains, brought an exhaustion like my brain was melting.
Decisive moves are not named lightly. They are the culmination of a martial art master's extreme concentration and life-long determination.
Ordinary martial arts might contain one or two such terrifying decisive moves. But Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, improved by my previous life's Young-hoon Hyung-nim, had twelve more.
'Insane talent, indeed.'
But this meant that every time I executed a move beyond the twelfth of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, I felt overwhelming fatigue. Effective, yes, but exhausting.
With this momentum, I launched into the next technique, charging at Kim Young-hoon.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Sixteenth Move.
Mountain Tiger.
From lower left to upper right.
From lower right to upper left.
Four times each.
A total of eight slashes rained down towards him.
Though similar to the Ninth Move, Landscape Painting, where slashes are scattered in all directions, the move Mountain Tiger concentrated the power of slashes into one pinpoint spot.
Each of the eight slashes had to converge precisely on one point, requiring significant concentration.
"Your lower body is exposed."
However, Kim Young-hoon targeted my legs with a lower stance, completely breaking through the Mountain Tiger.
Whoom!
"Kugh!"
Struck by his sheathed saber, I fell to the ground.
"It seems I've won."
"Yes, congratulations."
I sheathed my sword and stood up, thanking him. His critique seemed to reveal some flaws in my techniques.
For a while, he pointed out my weaknesses and areas for improvement, which I took to heart.
After guiding me in duels for ten nights, he promised to meet again and left.
I, too, set off for my next series of duels.
And so, time flowed like a river, and three years passed.
It's been five years since my return.
Not on the day we planned to meet, but after a duel with a mid-sized sect in Cheongju city, Kim Young-hoon found me.
"It's been a while, Infinite Fighting Madman, Seo Eun-hyun."
"...Kim Young-hoon...Is that you?"
"Haha, it might be a bit awkward. That's the way it is..."
Over three years, my nickname changed from Fighting Spirit to Fighting Madman. My real combat experience increased even more, and my reputation grew. I also increased my underhanded skills like poison and hidden weapons while dealing with the unorthodox factions.
Scars from the past years dotted my body, proving my experiences. But my martial arts level remained the same: still a late first-rate. The wall of the Pinnacle Realm was nowhere in sight.
Yet, the Kim Young-hoon I met again had completely changed.
His appearance was that of a man in his 20s.
'Rejeuvenationl! This means...'
He had already reached the realm of Five Energies Converging to the Origin, a state of youthful rejuvenation.
I felt a tinge of emptiness. While some barely improve their skills after years of relentless real combat, others advance to the next level just by activating their inherent talent.
"Haha, reaching the Five Energies realm rejuvenated my body. I've reached a realm completely different from the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit stage. That's how it turned out."
"What brings you here? Didnt we meet just a year ago?"
We were supposed to meet every two years.
Two years after parting, and then two years again.
We met each time, and it had been only a year since our last meeting.
"Well, after reaching Five Energies, I traveled around Yanguo, challenging various major sects to duels, and realized something."
"What is it?"
"It turns out that I've reached the absolute of martial arts in Yanguo. No one could match even a fraction of my power. So, I thought..."
He made a subtle suggestion.
"Now, as the top martial artist, I plan to run a sect or organization. I'll offer you a position if you're interested..."
"I'm fine as I am now."
He seemed to be caught in the throes of the Wulin Alliance Leader's syndrome.
Accepting his offer would likely land me in a role like an advisor or division head, busy with organizational work. With my reputation and skills being unparalleled compared to my past lives, taking on such roles would make organization management easier.
But...
'I can't afford to have my time taken away for organizational duties.'
While a genius reaches Five Energies Converging to the Origin in five years, a dullard like me barely makes any progress.
Every minute, every second is precious for me to reach the Pinnacle Realm.
Therefore, I cannot allow my time to be taken away.
Facing my curt refusal, Kim Young-hoon sighed and left, a bit downcast. He mentioned that it might be difficult to meet as often once he starts his organization, and added that if I joined him, he could always spar and guide me.
'No matter how good the conditions are, I wont join this time.'
I had already received countless guidance and sparring sessions from him in past lives.
Now, what I need more is a wealth of real combat experience!
Even Young-hoon, my Hyung-nim in a past life, advised me to undergo numerous real battles once I reached the late first-rate.
Joining him now would actually be a loss.
I decided to observe his journey from afar in this life and continued my endless series of duels.
Translator notes: What a long chapter...
***
Sssshhh...
I listened to the sound of the rain while taking shelter in a cave.
15 years.
15 years have passed in a blink of an eye.
It's been 15 years since Kim Young-hoon established the Wulin Alliance and became its first leader. Within three years, he had brought all of Yanguo's martial world under his control with the title of the strongest under heaven. The chaotic righteous sects stabilized, and numerous martial artists praised his achievements.
However, for a few years after that, he seemed to seclude himself from the affairs of the Wulin Alliance, engrossed in something else.
'Probably the cultivators came for him.'
Shocked by the power of cultivators, he must have been busy dealing with them using Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts.
In the fifth year of his reign as the Alliance leader, he suddenly retired and disappeared, announcing his retreat to a remote mountain.
I roughly understood the situation.
He must have left to confront the cultivators hiding in the mountains and those scheming in the shadows of the entire martial world.
In the tenth year.
There was no news of Young-hoon, the first Wulin Alliance leader, anywhere.
'Is he dead?'
Or, like in my previous lives, is he still alive, relentlessly pursued by cultivators?
Oddly, I thought I wouldn't be too sad even if he were dead.
'Why is that?'
After 15 years of relentless dueling...
Just as scars have marked my face,
Scars might have also etched into my heart.
Within those scars, he might have become a faint existence in my life.
During these 15 years, as my body and heart changed, so did my nickname.
Infinite Fighting Madman to Infinite Fighting Monster.
But nothing else had changed.
I was still a late first-rate martial artist, and the Pinnacle Realm was still out of sight.
Still!!!
"How long more!"
I yelled at the murky sky, pouring rain, feeling inexplicable suffocation.
"How long must I keep swinging my sword! When will it be enough? Why is it that some gain enlightenment by swinging their sword, while others only gain scars!"
The sky offered no answer.
"For twenty years since my return! I've been fighting, killing, and training non-stop for twenty years! I've never let go of my sword, not even for a moment! But when will you acknowledge me! Why dont I get even a single moment of enlightenment!"
Aaaahhhh!!!
I screamed madly at the sky.
But still, the sky only poured rain.
After a while, my own screams echoed back to me.
"...I know. It's my fault."
Yes, everything is.
On the first day of my return.
Because I couldnt overcome the fear of facing the fox and dropped my sword.
If I had continued back then, perhaps I could have reached the Pinnacle Realm that very day.
Because I failed to grasp that enlightenment, Im still like the sword chasing the leaves.
Still stuck in this realm.
To learn the Way in the morning and to be content with death in the evening.
Its because I failed to cherish that sentiment.
Crack...
I clenched my teeth, drew my sword in the cave, and practiced Severing Mountain Swordsmanship again.
Over and over.
The sword strokes I had executed countless times flowed from my hands.
The moves and secret techniques from the first to the twenty-fourth all came out.
Improving the flaws that had been shown for 15 years.
Striving to perfect the sword strokes.
Yet.
Nothing has changed.
And it seems nothing will change.
What more do you want from me!
"Ah, ahhhh... Ahhhhhh!"
I couldnt bear the torment and sat down after performing the sword strokes.
Now, there were no more weaknesses in my sword strokes.
No more room for improvement was visible.
But still, the Pinnacle Realm was nowhere in sight.
"Aaaaahhhhh!"
Why must I still remain in this state?
With these questions and anger, I just sat there, wailing in pain.
The rain stopped.
I left the cave and went to the originally planned destination, the Bangnip Sect in Soyeol County, completed my spar, and came out.
The sect leader and elders of Bangnip and I had three rounds of spars,
And I defeated all of them within five moves.
They were all late first-rate masters like me, but now no one of my level could block or break through my sword moves.
My reputation had spread across Yanguo's martial world over the years, and studies on my swordsmanship were conducted everywhere.
As a result, countermeasures to my swordsmanship were spread far and wide.
I sought out numerous martial artists who had discovered these countermeasures, and dueled with them.
Only to develop counter-countermeasures in response.
Thus, the flaws in my swordsmanship gradually disappeared, and today, my Severing Mountain Swordsmanship has almost reached flawlessness.
'Even peak masters of the major sects praised my evolved swordsmanship.'
But still, I could not measure up to peak masters.
I have dueled with peak masters.
Yet, even with my near-flawless swordsmanship, I could not defeat them.
Even deploying poison and hidden weapons was in vain.
Despite having developed counter-countermeasures, the peak masters effortlessly dismantled my sword moves as soon as I executed them.
Without a chance to deploy the counter-countermeasures, they overpowered me, and I was inevitably defeated in duels against them.
'What exactly is the barrier that separates first-rate from peak masters?'
Despite numerous defeats, I still couldn't grasp what it takes to reach the Pinnacle Realm.
I tried everything I had read about in old martial arts novels, from circulating my internal energy through every tiny blood vessel in my body to practicing external skills.
I even fought non-human beasts.
Yet, I remained a first-rate martial artist.
I had no idea what the Pinnacle Realm even was.
My internal energy's strength deepened, my array of tricks grew, my swordsmanship became more powerful, and my fame increased slightly.
Still, I remained unchanged.
"Sigh."
Feeling utterly despondent, I went to an inn to order some drinks.
That's when it happened.
A man wearing a bamboo hat joined me at my table uninvited.
"You seem troubled, sir."
"I'm just frustrated because I can't see a way forward."
"I understand that feeling all too well. Doing everything you need to, but there's no path in front of you. It feels suffocating, a massive pressure choking you."
""
"But just staying like that won't make a path appear. No matter how much you rage and scream, a non-existent path won't just emerge. So, what can you do but try everything under the sun to find a different way?"
I soon realized who he was.
"How about it, does this describe your current state of mind?"
"Yes, great master. I'm not sure why the first leader of the Wulin Alliance would empathize with someone like me."
It was Kim Young-hoon, whom I hadn't seen in 15 years.
He took off his bamboo hat, showing a faint smile.
His face looked somewhat haggard.
"It's been a long time, Eun-hyun."
"Indeed, it has."
We shared a small laugh and ordered drinks.
"What have you been doing all these years?"
"In this world, there are beings called 'cultivators,' just like the monsters we saw flying in the sky when we first arrived in this world"
He shared with me his experiences of fighting against cultivators.
"I could handle up to the Qi Building stage cultivators with my martial arts. But those at the Core Formation were akin to disasters. I barely managed to escape from a Core Formation cultivator by severing his hand."
"Hmm?"
I noticed something different from my past lives.
'He 'escaped' from a Core Formation cultivator?'
In my past lives, he simply lost to them.
But this time, the outcome was different.
He had successfully escaped from a Core Formation cultivator!
'Through Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, he surpassed his previous lifes limits!'
And much earlier, at least twenty years sooner!
My heart started to race.
'Maybe'
Maybe in this life, martial artists could indeed defeat cultivators!
I encouraged him with a faint excitement.
"You will surely defeat the Core Formation cultivators, great master!"
"Haha, we shall see."
He seemed a bit pessimistic, but I thought it was entirely possible from my perspective.
After all, his martial talent was truly a gift from heaven.
'Different from me.'
A talent given by heaven.
A talent abandoned by heaven.
That's the difference between him and me.
I might not reach the Pinnacle Realm, but he will surely discover a higher realm in this life!
"Your words are like gold plating my face, Eun-hyun. Maybe you believe this because you haven't witnessed the power of a Core Formation cultivator. Anyway, that's not why I'm here today."
"Why did you come?"
"Well, to leave a will with you."
"! What?"
His expression was serious.
"In the future, I will seek out Core Formation cultivators and challenge them. Through these challenges, I will hone my talents to the extreme and discover a way for martial artists to confront these cultivators. I will prove that the martial arts of our world can ascend even higher.
Due to this, my life will become incredibly unstable. If I am still alive, I will visit you every five years and entrust you with the insights I gain each time I survive these challenges."
Thump!
He handed me a book with no title.
"This contains the insights I gained while escaping a battle with a Core Formation cultivator. I've added some content to the Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts based on these insights. Please keep this book safe and pass it on to future generations."
""
"So that someday, our descendants can stand against the cultivators who roam the skies with human bodies. Prepare the way for them. This is the will I entrust to you."
"I will keep it safe."
"Thank you."
He smiled faintly, took a sip of his drink, and stood up.
"It seems you are also frustrated, unable to cross the barrier from late first-rate to the peak. Direct training might be meaningless at this point. Let me give you a task... Try to maintain your sword energy all day. It might help."
"Thank you."
I bowed to him with a fist and palm salute.
Shortly after, Kim Young-hoon completely disappeared from my sight.
Not by flying or using any extraordinary methods, but as if vanishing like a mirage.
'Just like the last image I saw of Young-hoon Hyung-nim in my past life.'
He had already reached the realm I saw in my past life!
Maybe, in this life, he can truly surpass the limits of martial artists.
I looked up at the sky.
Although it was still cloudy from the rain, the clouds had lightened, and patches of blue sky peeked through.
"Yes, I too shall continue to persevere."
Six months had passed since Kim Young-hoon and I parted ways again.
Whoosh
"Ugh!"
I had been attempting the task he left me with.
To 'maintain sword energy all day,' but eventually I had to release it due to the exhaustion of my concentration.
'How on earth can I maintain sword energy all day?'
It wasn't just an issue of depleting my internal energy.
Sword energy had a fundamental requirement for reaching a state of unity with the sword.
In other words, maintaining sword energy all day meant maintaining this unity all day.
'Even compared to fighting against unorthodox sect members all day long, maintaining this state is difficult.'
Of course, it was theoretically possible.
Being one with the sword means completely internalizing the swordsmanship you are practicing.
If you can embody the principles of that swordsmanship in your actions all day, then it's possible.
In theory.
'But maintaining it while eating, relieving oneself, and even talking...'
That's hardly something a normal person's mental strength can handle.
'Even peak masters dont do this as far as I know.'
Honestly, maintaining unity with the sword all day is madness.
Even peak masters would protest and tell you to stop immediately if they heard of such a thing.
But.
'If you don't go mad, you can't reach it!'
Yes.
Its something even peak masters dont do. They probably didnt do such things to become peak masters either.
But.
I have to.
Because I lack talent.
'For a slow learner to catch up with a genius.'
I have to be more insane than the genius.
Vroom
I steadied my breath and infused my sword with energy again.
'I have to be much, much crazier than a genius!'
I felt my brain almost burning up.
I could feel my energy channels twisting.
Maybe Ill die from overexertion before Kim Young-hoon, doing this insane training.
But so be it.
'If only I can gain enlightenment in the morning.'
As I maintained my sword energy longer, my breath quickened, and my energy channels surged.
My head started to feel empty, and my thoughts became unclear.
I had been infusing sword energy since lunch, maintaining it until evening.
'Id gladly die in the evening!'
I kept maintaining my sword energy and went to a small sect to challenge them to a duel.
"It's been a long time."
"The same for you."
Another five years had passed.
Kim Young-hoon visited me again.
"You look pale. Arent you pushing yourself too hard? Your vital energy seems to be depleting"
"If this is what it takes to reach the Pinnacle Realm."
Indeed.
Even after practicing maintaining sword energy all day for five years and experiencing endless duels and real battles,
I was still a late first-rate martial artist.
The barrier to the next realm simply did not appear.
I still couldn't grasp it.
Kim Young-hoon looked a bit incredulous at my words.
With a small wrinkle forming on his rejuvenated, taut forehead, he asked, "You haven't stopped training, yet you haven't ascended to the next level?"
"Yes. Well, thanks to that, my understanding of sword energy is now far superior to that of my peers."
Now, I could infuse sword energy into not just swords but also into chopsticks, branches, paper, and cloth, using them like a sword.
Against first-rate martial artists of the same realm, my combat experience and understanding of sword energy alone gave me a winning chance of 30%, regardless of their martial arts.
Yet, I still couldn't last more than three seconds against peak masters.
"Hmm"
His gaze shifted to my hand holding the sword.
"How strange. You've become one with your sword more than ever before, yet you haven't reached the Pinnacle Realm. I thought the task I gave you would be sufficient for someone with your practical experience to reach the next stage"
""
I smiled bitterly.
Yes, this is my talent.
A talent discarded by the heavens.
"Sigh. Don't be too disheartened. With your determination, you'll surely reach the Pinnacle Realm someday. Honestly, I didn't expect you to actually accomplish such a crazy task."
"Thank you."
I softly smiled, infusing my sword with energy.
Now, I could maintain sword energy without a break for half a day.
After that, though, my head would start to hurt, and my energy channels would surge chaotically. I could still push it for another half a day in that state.
As I did so, my energy channels would begin to twist, and I'd start to bleed from my nose about once every hour.
Yet, I could still endure it with my willpower.
But knowing that pushing beyond that might lead to death, I didn't force myself further.
'I don't want to die pointlessly without even a glimmer of enlightenment.'
I stopped maintaining sword energy and took a rest at that point.
"If I can really maintain sword energy all day without strain, maybe a path will appear then."
"Yes. I hope you succeed. And here."
After chatting, Kim Young-hoon handed me another untitled book.
"This contains the insights I gained while battling and escaping from a Core Formation cultivator. I have managed to gauge my abilities precisely and endured the cultivators techniques as long as possible before escaping."
"Insights from just escaping is this much?"
I was slightly surprised, looking at the thickness of the book, comparable to the complete volume of Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts.
"A Core Formation cultivator is akin to a natural disaster. These insights are natural."
"Wow"
I was amazed as I received the insights.
"I'll keep it safe for future generations."
"Thank you, Eun-hyun."
He laughed heartily, drank his liquor, and then stood up.
"Then I'll go and search for Core Formation cultivators again. I hope we can meet again next time. And for your next task, try to always keep in mind all of the surrounding scenery you pass by."
"All the surrounding scenery?"
"Yes, in battle or martial arts spars, you always keep the surrounding terrain and features in mind to utilize them. Now, try to do that all the time, not just during battles."
"That's what"
The task he set this time, like the previous one about maintaining sword energy, seemed insane.
He was essentially asking me to become a human CCTV, keeping constant spatial awareness.
'I hope my head doesnt explode.'
I shook my head, clearing these foreboding thoughts.
'Alright. Kim Young-hoon, who reached a realm never before attained by any martial artist, has a reason for setting such tasks.'
From that day forward, I began to memorize everything I saw and the location of every object and feature in my surroundings.
30 years since my return.
And five years of constantly keeping spatial awareness.
Now, I can proudly say that my understanding of sword energy is higher than anyone else's.
Maintaining sword energy all the time, an insane feat, has become second nature to me, except when sleeping.
Spatial awareness, though initially painful, has become a habit.
At first, my head felt like it would split, but it became manageable as I adapted.
I can guarantee a 40% winning rate against other first-rate martial artists of the same realm relying on my spatial awareness, combat experience, and understanding of sword energy alone.
And the most encouraging thing.
'I successfully lasted four seconds against a peak master!'
It was an encouraging achievement.
It meant that I could exchange at least one more move with peak masters.
Yes.
I am growing, albeit slowly.
Someday, I will surely reach the Pinnacle Realm!
I met Kim Young-hoon again.
Seeing Kim Young-hoon after a long time, I noticed he had acquired a scar or two on his face.
"Those scars"
"They're from battling a Core Formation cultivator."
It was astonishing.
Until now, across several lifetimes, he had never sustained scars. He had never been injured while mastering martial arts.
Even when fighting against cultivators, he never bore a scar from any near-fatal wounds.
Such a scarred appearance was a rare sight to see on him.
"This time"
But contrary to the scars, his face was full of life.
"I managed to cut off the hands of a Core Formation cultivator twice in a row! And I still managed to escape! Ha! Hahaha!"
"!"
"Hahaha, you should have seen it. The dignified cultivator enraged and losing his mind after being bested by a mere mortal!"
I was genuinely astonished.
He was gradually surpassing the limits of martial artists.
'Little by little, it's being passed down.'
Not only I, but also a genius of the millennium, benefits from my return.
Bit by bit.
Slowly overcoming their limits and paving a path beyond.
Clack
I accepted the insights he handed me, insights gained while he repeatedly cut off the hands of a Core Formation cultivator.
'If I pass these insights on to Kim Young-hoon in the next life'
Maybe he'll break his limits again?
Given his heaven-sent martial talent.
Continuously exploring new paths might someday
'Possibly bring martial artists to dominate the world of cultivators'
My primary goal has always been to reach the state of Five Energies Converging to the Origin, become a cultivator, elevate my realm, and return to the previous world to live a life without the ability to return.
So, defeating cultivators as a martial artist wasn't my life's sole purpose.
But watching his feats made me wonder.
Martial arts.
How far can such martial prowess, achievable by the human body and not cultivators, really go?
Such questions and expectations welled up in me.
"I'll take care of these insights as well."
I accepted his insights, and Kim Young-hoon smiled wryly as he raised his glass.
"But you"
There was a hint of sympathy in his gaze as he looked at me.
"You still haven't reached the Pinnacle Realm."
"Can you tell just by looking?"
"Yes. I can tell just by your gaze. You'll understand once you reach the peak. In fact, constantly maintaining sword energy or keeping spatial awareness active is merely an attempt to mimic the [vision] one gains in the Pinnacle Realm using your physical senses.
But despite mimicking the Pinnacle Realm to that extent, I dont understand why your vision hasnt progressed beyond mere imitation"
""
He sighed softly.
"I knew your talent was dull, but this is almost as if you're inherently unsuited for martial arts."
""
Kim Young-hoon took another drink as he saw my downcast expression. I, too, drank silently.
"Alright, then. I have no choice but to keep trying to make you mimic the vision of the peak. As you've been doing.
You remember the space. So now remember the sounds, the temperature and touch on your skin, even the taste.
Activate all your senses continuously, training them to their limits, constantly absorbing information. In that state, keep maintaining sword energy and continue to experience real battles. This is the only way for someone without talent like you to enter the realm of the peak!"
The 'vision' of peak masters.
"Why are you telling me these things?"
Until now, martial artists at the Pinnacle Realm have never spoken about it to those below first-rate.
Because explaining it would be incomprehensible to them, potentially leading to delusions.
There's only one case where they impart information about the Pinnacle Realm to first-rate masters.
"Is it because I can reach the Pinnacle Realm?"
At the top of first-rate.
For those who are looking to the realm of the pinnacle.
The super first-rate martial artists.
"Honestly, I don't understand why you're still a late first-rate looking at your hands."
Kim Young-hoon looked at my hand holding the sword.
"You wouldn't know, but martial artists in the Pinnacle Realm have a completely different vision from those below. It's the same with Three Flowers Gather at the Summit and Five Energies Converging to the Origin. And from my perspective, at the extreme of Five Energies.
Your sword and hand are half melted into each other. Usually, a first-rate martial artist reaches the peak at this point, but I don't understand why your 'vision' hasn't opened yet. Thats why I'm giving you this fragmented information."
My sword and hand are half melted into each other...
I looked at my hand.
It just seemed to be resting on the sword scabbard.
It wasn't actually so.
But what he mentioned was something I had recently started to feel.
As if the sword and my hand had melted into one...
'But can a master at the level of Five Energies read my thoughts?'
It's far.
How far do I have to go to reach that realm?
No.
Dont think about that.
"Thank you. I will continue to train tirelessly based on your valuable advice."
Nod.
He softly smiled and nodded, then vanished like a phantom right before my eyes.
After finishing the meal I ordered at the inn, I stood up.
'Remember the space, and next'
Yes, let's remember the sounds.
I began to absorb every bit of miscellaneous noise around me into my mind.
It felt like my brain would explode, but this too would become familiar.
As the sounds became more familiar, next, I would remember information about temperature, humidity, touch.
Then, information about taste.
Absorbing and reabsorbing countless pieces of information, while continuously experiencing real battles.
'I will definitely reach the Pinnacle Realm!'
Translator notes: Another long chapter...I like 'First Day' chapters the best cuz they the easiest and shortest.
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