Kwak Il-guk twitched his eyes.
"Do you know me?"
"Of course. I am Seo Eun-hyun, known as Infinite Fighting Monster. Pleasure to meet you."
As I greeted him with a polite bow, he seemed a bit perplexed.
"Strange. I don't know someone like you. I haven't heard of Infinite Fighting Monster in the martial arts world, nor in the intelligence service."
"Hahaha, naturally. I've never engaged in martial arts activities in this lifetime."
At my words, Leader looked at me as if I was speaking nonsense.
Meanwhile, red threads extended from him, aiming for my neck.
But I read all his moves with my purple intent and countered his initial moves with a convergence of intent.
He seemed to put all his effort into our clash of intents, and I spoke to my disciples behind me.
"Look, this is the power of the Shadow Guards. None of you can stand one-on-one against him in a clash of intents, right?"
"...Indeed."
Tension filled my disciples' faces.
Especially since I had constantly compared them to the Shadow Guards, the name must have left a significant impression in their minds.
Leader in front of me was sweating profusely as he kept losing in our clash of intents, and I continued to explain while comfortably wielding my sword.
"If you face the entire Shadow Guards one-on-one, you're bound to lose. Each of them has reached the mature stage of mid-peak where one can freely manipulate Qi Silk. While some can't manipulate Qi Silk, those types are even more dangerous, using poison or more sinister methods like me. The Palace Guards is also of similar strength to the Shadow Guards. The difference is that the Palace focuses on 'protecting' the Emperor, while the Shadow is trained to 'kill' assassins attacking the Emperor."
I pointed to the Palace Guards on the pavilion, maintaining a solid stance and guarding against us.
"You will face the Palace Guards. They are superior in skills to you, but with your numbers and the Transcending Cultivation Formation, you can break through. Your learned martial arts are more defensive, so you'll be relatively safer.
Now, go and break through the Palace Guards, kill the Emperor, and fulfill your revenge!"
"Yes!!!!!"
My disciples answered in unison, fervently.
Red rage surged from them.
I looked at Kwak Il-guk, engaged in our clash of intents, and the entire Shadow Guards lurking in the shadows below the pavilion, ready to support him.
"The Shadow Guards I will handle."
My disciples leaped over me, storming the pavilion.
The Palace Guards drew their weapons and formed a defensive formation, with the Emperor beginning some sort of spell in the center.
I, continuously launching intent, kept the entire Shadow Guards in check.
"...Three, Three Flowers. Even... a master in the late stage of Three Flowers..."
Kwak Il-guk, struggling with our battle of intents, spoke with difficulty.
"Impressive. Knowing it's the late stage... Have you entered the world of intent?"
Leader was on the boundary between mid and late peak.
He might just be able to perceive the faint third color.
"Why would a genius like you, of your age, at that level, side with the rebels...! Yanguo is enjoying peace now...!"
As he spoke with sweat dripping, he gripped his halberd.
I laughed sarcastically.
"Peace... surely, for the ordinary commoners, there's no better peace. But someone of your level must know... that the Makli Imperial family of Yanguo are cultivators and what they are scheming in the shadows..."
"I know. But you have joined hands with the former Imperial family, the Jin. They are no different! They too are cultivators, and they..."
"See us as nothing more than tools."
I acknowledged the fact calmly.
"You are right, Leader. No one knows that fact better than me."
I understood his views from my past life.
The Jin Clan wasn't much different.
But...
"Being a tool is slightly better than being livestock waiting to be eaten."
The Makli Clan should no longer sit on the throne of Yanguo.
The lesser of two evils.
That's all.
"Of course, our views will never come to agreement. Come at me."
I showed a small gap in my intent as a trap.
The Shadow Guards, knowing it's a trap, still came at me gritting their teeth.
"Don't underestimate the power of the Shadow Guards!"
The leader's halberd lunged at me, and simultaneously, a member wielding a slashing sword aimed for my ankle.
Behind me, a member with a two-handed sword lunged at me.
Certainly, they were formidable forces.
I remember even killing a master in the late stage of Three Flowers in a combined attack with them.
A typical master of Three Flowers could be matched by the Shadow Guards.
However, I had reached the late stage of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit and had learned Records of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts.
In an instant, I cut through their consciousness and escaped the combined formation.
Click
I slowly sheathed my sword in the midst of the melee.
After all, these were colleagues from my past life.
Of course, the people from my past life and those now are entirely different.
But emotionally, it wasn't easy to harm them.
'I won't kill you.'
In an instant, my sword touched the vital points of the members.
After scattering paralysis powder and subduing them all, I appeared in front of Leader and struck with my sword.
"Argh...!"
Boom!
Our weapons collided, sending out waves of energy.
Realizing his men were subdued, despair filled Leaders eyes.
"You have no personal feelings. You only serve loyalty."
Clang, clang!
I pressed him with my sheathed sword, speaking calmly.
"So I won't kill you."
"Argh...aaaaah!"
His intent surged more rapidly.
I faced his intent head-on, slowly engaging in the battle.
Matching his moves, stance, and intent, almost like a mirror image, excluding the weapons and subtle martial arts!
Leader, thinking I was mocking him, turned increasingly red.
At a certain moment, his intent changed.
Kwak Il-guk's intent, which had failed to properly follow my trajectory, began to intertwine with mine.
Intermingling.
Gradually, a sense of bewilderment crept into his eyes, which were previously ablaze with intensity.
I led him on.
Ting!
My sword clashed with his halberd.
At the same time, clarity returned to his eyes.
He had seen the third color.
"This is..."
Lost in the midst of battle, he murmured in a daze.
Boom!!!
A tremendous shockwave and explosion spread out.
His coordination faltered under the vast surge of energy.
Eventually, my sheathed sword, which had been parallel to his, penetrated his coordination and struck his neck.
"Argh!"
He collapsed on the spot, unconscious, from my controlled strike.
'Anyway, having seen the third color, he should ascend to Three Flowers once he awakens and comprehends his realization.'
Though time had passed and he was not the same person.
It was the greatest respect I could show to my former superior.
Leaving the unconscious Leader behind, I turned towards a huge explosion that just gone off.
Whoooosh!
A massive whirlwind tore apart and lifted an entire building in the distance.
From the pavilion, the Palace Guards facing my disciples screamed in horror.
"The Crown Prince is there! Argh!"
'That location must be the Hidden Dragon Hall. The Emperor evacuated here, and the Crown Prince was in his place. Did Makli Jung use his son as bait? But then...'
I frowned.
'That whirlwind's power doesn't seem like Makli Hyun's magic?'
In the center of the whirlwind, a dark shadow loomed.
An imposing presence.
Seeing the size of the consciousness in the whirlwind's center, I realized.
'That person... is the founder of Yanguo. The cultivator of the Makli Clan who reached Qi Building...'
Makli Wangshin!
Around the whirlwind, someone was moving.
It was Kim Young-hoon.
"That's..."
Kim Young-hoon held something in one hand.
Focusing my vision, it looked like someone's head.
'It must be Crown Prince Makli Hyun's head, given the circumstances.'
I thought Makli Jung had hidden in the Glowing Scenery Pavilion with the Palace and Shadow Guards, using his son as bait.
It seems I was mistaken.
'It wasn't about leaving his son as bait in the Hidden Dragon Hall. Instead, he had placed the strongest guard there.'
However this was the result.
Kim Young-hoons understanding of the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts, derived from the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts that is specialized in escaping and ambushing cultivators, allowed him to catch Makli Wangshin off guard.
Whoosh!
Numerous wind bullets and wind blades shot towards Kim Young-hoon from the whirlwind.
A single wind bullet obliterated an entire floor of a building.
The monstrous power of a Qi Building cultivator!
But...
Boom! Boom, boom!
Nine spheres rose behind Kim Young-hoon and shot towards the Qi Building cultivator.
Bang!
With a loud noise, the Gang Spheres pierced part of the whirlwind, bringing down an entire building.
The Imperial City crumbled under their battle.
"Argh, what is this! These cursed Jin Clan, breaking the agreement and secretly bringing a Qi Building cultivator into the barrier!"
The cultivators of the Makli Clan burst into fury and cast their spells.
The Jin Clan cultivators just smirked, not responding.
However, Makli Jung, performing spells in the center of the pavilion, burst into a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! What's everyone so worried about! Our ancestor recently achieved a breakthrough in his training, ascending to the third stage! Even Core Formation is just around the corner, do you think he would lose to a mere cultivator?"
Hearing that, the Jin Clan cultivators' expressions darkened.
"Already at that stage!"
"Just a Qi Building cultivator...!"
"Can we really hold out?"
Unlike others, I climbed onto the pavilion with a light heart.
'Not to mention the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts, Kim Young-hoon had already killed a late Qi Building cultivator and severed the hand of a Core Formation cultivator when he created the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts.'
There's no chance of defeat.
The interior of the pavilion seemed much larger than from the outside, perhaps due to a space-condensing spell.
In the center, the Emperor who was performing spells was protected by the Palace Guards around him.
The guards were desperately blocking my disciples' combined attack.
But they were overwhelmingly outnumbered and faced the Transcending Cultivation Formation.
There was no way they could win!
"Let's finish this quickly."
I too drew my Sword Gang, ready to enter the formation, when suddenly...
Boom!
Another loud noise tore off the roof of the pavilion.
'What's this?'
Confused by the sudden turn of events.
Swoosh!
Blood rained from the sky, splattering down.
The guards and my disciples were baffled, but the cultivators and I were shocked.
The intent in the blood!
The terrifying consciousness within!
It was the Qi Building cultivator who had just been fighting Kim Young-hoon.
His soul, his divine consciousness, was in that blood!
In such a short time, Kim Young-hoon had killed Makli Wangshin, the Qi Building cultivator of the Makli Clan!
The blood containing the divine consciousness of the founding emperor, Makli Wangshin, shot towards the stupefied Makli Jung.
The Emperor's face began to show terror.
"An, ancestor! No, this can't be! Ancestor, please, spare me!"
"....!"
"Ah, aaaaaah! Ancestor, please, please!"
Splash!
Makli Jung screamed in horror, but the indifferent blood, splashed onto his face.
"Aaaaaaagh!"
Makli Jung's screams echoed for a while.
And after a moment.
"....!"
Shiver!
I shouted at the top of my lungs.
"Everyone!!! Retreat!"
Fortunately, my disciples instinctively backed away in terror.
But the Palace Guards, protecting Makli Jung, failed to grasp the situation and couldn't evade the founding emperor's grasp as he possessed the Emperor's body.
Swoosh!
"Aaaaaaagh!"
"Argh..."
The life force and essence blood of the Palace Guards was being sucked into Makli Jung.
No, into Makli Wangshin, who had taken over Makli Jung's body.
Woosh-
A massive consciousness filled the entire pavilion.
'Dangerous!'
Makli Wangshin extended his hand.
His gesture was pointing at me, the highest level presence here.
Then, it happened.
A flash of light burst from outside the pavilion.
Boom!
Makli Wangshin, who was gathering his power against me, hastily extended his hand towards outside the pavilion, deploying a defensive spell.
A violent wind blew, breaking his defensive spell like fragile glass. Half of the pavilion affected by the spatial spell was torn away.
There, I could see Kim Young-hoon slowly approaching.
"Kim Hyung...!"
My face turned pale.
Kim Young-hoon was bleeding all over, with a chunk of his flesh torn from his waist.
"Cough, cough!"
It seems his internal organs were damaged too, as he was spitting blood with every step he took.
'Kim Young-hoon didn't kill Makli Wangshin without harm!'
Makli Wangshin had inflicted considerable damage on Kim Young-hoon, even as he was being killed.
"Cough! Argh..."
Then, Kim Young-hoon, who seemed to be regathering his strength, suddenly lost consciousness due to his severe wounds and collapsed.
'This is the worst!'
"Hmm..."
Shiver!
Makli Wangshin, gasping for breath, spoke,
"Fortunately, his energy just dropped in the nick of time. What a monstrous man. I was almost killed."
Stomp, stomp!
He kicked away the bodies of the fallen guards around him, clicking his tongue in disgust.
"Damn it, having to take over the body of such a low-quality descendant. Even my cultivation has dropped to the level of Qi Refining 4th Star... Hmm..."
He looked up at the sky.
Simultaneously, the Makli Clan cultivators fighting the Jin Clan cultivators started fleeing in panic on their flying devices.
"These worthless things! Running away in front of the clan elder! Once this replacement battle is over, I'll have to melt them all into a handful of blood water!"
Swoosh!
The consciousness of the terrifying Qi Building cultivator, soared into the sky.
Makli Wangshin's consciousness transformed into a hand shape, reaching out for two Qi Refining 1st Star cultivators trying to escape.
As Makli Wangshin cast a spell, faint light circled around the hand of consciousness, and it seemed to physically pull in the lower-level cultivators.
"Elder, please spare us!"
"Please! I am a distant relative of ancestor..."
"I have never had descendants who are no better than trash mortals."
As he extended his hand towards the Qi Refining cultivators, their life force, essence blood, and cultivation were all sucked into Makli Wangshin.
Slurp-
Gulp
After devouring his blood-water turned descendants, Makli Wangshin's power surged from Qi Refining 4th to the brink of 5th.
Qi Refining 5th Star cultivation.
But, one who once reached the extreme of Qi Building!
Tingle, tingle...
Normally, I could rush in and slit the throat of a cultivator of this level but my instincts were ringing alarm bells.
'It's not just Qi Refining 5th Star. Combined with the consciousness of a cultivator who had reached the peak of Qi Building, his power is...'
Our eyes met.
A crawling sensation surged over my body.
Makli Wangshin smirked.
"Quite perceptive for a mortal. Assessing my power? Let me tell you kindly. The strength I can exert right now is..."
Rumble!
Wind swirled around Makli Wangshin.
A wind incomparable to that of Makli Hyun enveloped him.
"The level of Qi Refining 13th Star."
I gritted my teeth.
"To all disciples, listen!"
I needed to buy time.
"Feed Kim Hyung the recovery pills each of you brought! Do your best to make him regain consciousness!"
I took the primary sword stance.
"I'll stall for time!"
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship
Twenty-third Move
'I'll hold on no matter what!'
Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains ()!
***
I took the primary sword stance.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, First Move, Transcending Peaks ().
Wooosh!
A whirlwind.
A whirlwind made of thousands, tens of thousands of wind blades, shredding the entire pavilion and ascending towards the fireball.
When the whirlwind touched the fireball,
The fireball completely shattered and dispersed.
The Jin Clan cultivators who had created the formation all spat blood and retreated.
"Hahaha, mortals. You dare to block my attack? Do you understand what it means to have been at Qi Building?"
A dark shadow shone through the whirlwind.
Makli Wangshin, in the center of the whirlwind, chuckled at me.
"Now, try to block this. Feel what it's like to face someone at Qi Refining 13th Star..."
Squee!
A giant Roc made of wind flew towards me.
The scale of the spell was incomparable to the spell previously shown by Crown Prince Makli Hyun!
This one spell alone seemed to cover the entire lake where the pavilion was.
'I can't dodge.'
My disciples haven't all escaped with Kim Young-hoon yet.
'I must stand my ground!'
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship
Twenty-second Move
Severing Mountain ()!
The techniques from the first to the twenty-first moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship burst out in an instant.
Then, gathering strength with the final move of Heavenly Lake, I unleashed another strike.
Swoosh!
The Roc made of wind didn't completely shatter, but it split in half and flew past me on both sides.
"Hooo..."
I steadied my breath.
Then, back to the primary stance I had initially taken.
Preparing for Transcending Peaks.
Makli Wangshin, having blocked the Jin Clan's flame spell, chuckled.
"Oh, you blocked it once. Quite a big stroke of luck. Let's see how long that luck lasts. And also..."
Flash!
Suddenly, a whirlwind blew, and a blue barrier appeared over the entire lake.
The Jin Clan cultivators gritted their teeth.
"This is..."
"A barrier..!"
"Is he trying to prevent us from escaping?"
Makli Wangshin grinned at Kim Young-hoon and my disciples, who were trying to escape across the lake.
"I can't let that damn man who blew up my body escape. First, I'll crush those Jin Clan flies and this martial artist, then slowly flay that despicable man."
Boom!
Once again, he formed a seal, and a dragon made of wind burst from the whirlwind surrounding Makli Wangshin and swooped down towards me.
I clenched my teeth and raised my sword.
The Qi Building cultivator of the Makli Clan, Makli Wangshin, calmed his burning anger and used his spells methodically.
He had worked his entire life to surpass Qi Building reaching the peak of Qi Building.
If things had gone well, he might have even aimed for Core Formation in this lifetime.
But everything was ruined by that monstrous man.
The Jin Clan's final weapon.
Although the monster's consciousness was only at the Qi Refining 4th or 5th Star, he had evaded his own perception, beheaded his descendant Makli Hyun, and used some strange technqiues, eventually killing him.
'At least it was a replacement battle...'
If it had been a real battle with no relatives nearby, he wouldn't have dared to resurrect by taking over a descendant's body.
However upon resurrection, he realized that the descendant, Makli Jung, whom he had taken over, was essentially trash.
'If only I could have taken over that Makli Hyun's body!'
But that was impossible since the martial artist had beheaded him.
'I had hope of reaching Core Formation...!'
With such inferior quality, it was doubtful he could even recover his peak Qi Building cultivation, let alone reach Core Formation.
It was all because of that Jin Clan martial artist.
Therefore, Makli Wangshin planned to crush all the Jin Clan flies and the martial artist who seemed to have ties with him, and then leisurely flay the Jin Clan's final weapon, pickling his flesh.
It should have been swift.
'What?'
But the martial artist, brandishing iron scrap, was not going down.
This mortal, he just wouldn't fall.
Despite numerous powerful spells, he stood up like a roly-poly every time, using his Sword Gang to deflect his spells.
'I thought mortals' dantians couldn't hold as much energy as cultivators...'
Why wasn't he getting tired?
More so..
'Another step.'
Squish!
One step.
One step.
Slowly.
He was approaching.
'Annoying.'
He was already annoyed by the Jin Clan flies casting spells, and allowing this martial artist to approach would distract his consciousness.
'I'll have to use a larger spell, even if it's a bit strenuous.'
Makli Wangshin raised his spiritual power, preparing a larger spell.
The whirlwind surrounding him writhes furiously.
Then, with a massive roar, it takes the form of a Wind Tiger and flies towards the unyielding martial artist.
"Ha, your internal energy must be completely depleted by now. Stop resisting and rest easy. You should feel honored that I used such a spell on you."
Just then...
Boom!
With a slash of the martial artist's sword, the Wind Tiger sent by Makli Wangshin splits in half.
"...What is this?"
And again...
Step!
The martial artist takes another step forward.
"Do you have infinite internal energy or something? How can you still have the strength to use such techniques?"
And another step.
Cutting through the wind, the martial artist slowly, very slowly, advances towards him.
'I've seen him continuously maintain his Sword Gang. How can he still have so much energy left? Impossible! What trick are you playing, you mortal!'
One step.
With each step, Makli Wangshin's expression began to distort.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship Twenty-third Move,
Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains ().
This technique wasn't a special move or action, but a concept reached upon mastering the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship to a certain level.
I wield my sword.
I cut through the wind patterns.
Then, I return to the primary stance.
Everything reverts to the primary stance, restoring all the energy and internal strength I had expended.
"Huuuh!"
Breathing in, the internal energy that was about to be exhausted is pulled back into my dantian with my breath.
The internal energy that leaked from the Sword Gang is also recaptured and forcibly returned to the dantian.
Regardless of the technique used, I revert to the basic stance, returning the flow of Qi to its initial state.
A technique that theoretically allows for infinite stamina, as it prevents the depletion of internal energy.
That is the essence of Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains.
However, it's only theoretically infinite.
The moment I stop performing this technique for even an instant, the accumulated Qi backlashes, draining all my energy and causing immense pain.
I experienced this pain during practice sessions.
'I cannot stop.'
As there are endless mountains beyond mountains, I too must be endless.
Therefore, it's a technique to be performed with the readiness to face death.
Whoosh!
From Transcending Peaks to Severing Mountain..
I keep swinging my sword non-stop, linking sword moves continuously.
After performing all moves, I return to the stance of Transcending Peaks, maintaining Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains.
My swordsmanship's power remains unchanged.
Makli Wangshin's spiritual power might decrease over time, but my techniques remain constant.
However...
"Ugh!"
After piercing through a wind bird with Mountain Tiger, I return to the stance of Transcending Peaks.
'I feel like I'm dying.'
Not depleting internal energy doesn't mean not depleting mental strength.
I focus intently to prevent the waste of internal strength with each move, then revert back with Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains to forcibly recapture the expended energy back to the dantian.
This continuous process is excruciating, like boiling my brain.
Bubbling...
Despite being conscious and not fainting, the heat in my head makes saliva in my mouth boil into foam.
Spurt!
Blood bursts from my eyes and nose.
Forcing the energy back into my body strains not only my meridians but also makes me feel like my limbs will snap.
But still...
Whoosh-
"Ha, you're cutting this down as well?"
I refuse to give up.
"Give up, martial artist. It seems you're somehow recycling your limited internal energy. If you stop your sword for even a single instant, you'll self-destruct from the recoil."
Makli Wangshin sneers, but I pay no heed.
I just keep swinging my sword.
Wind birds, wind dragons, wind unicorns, wind kirin, wind sharks...
Numerous spell forms assault me.
But I keep cutting, blocking, deflecting, counterattacking.
Thus, step by step, I approach.
Spurt!
My tendons, strained from the continuous moves, burst.
My arms are filled with pain as if it's tearing apart.
When the tendons snap, my arms lose strength.
But I connect the tendons with internal energy and again perform the sword moves.
Horizontal slash
Upward slash
Lower level slash
Smooth thrust
Spinning slash
Change in technique
Diagonal slash
Twist and nullify the attack
Diagonal slash flurry
Powerful downward slash
Varying speed upward slash
Shoot Sword Gang.
...
And then repeat it all from the beginning.
Crack!
What's that sound?
Yes, it must be my bones splitting.
But I do not stop.
"Give up!"
Rumble!
Makli Wangshin's words become a verbal spell, enveloping everything.
His voice, imbued with consciousness, makes the souls of my disciples in my upper dantian cry out.
Screech!
A horrific wail resounds in my head.
Behind me, my disciples who had been watching also clutch their heads and roll on the ground.
"Ha, you must have forcibly absorbed souls into your upper dantian to enhance your lacking talent. After all, there's no other way to mass-produce so many peak martial artists with mere mortals.
But, you know. For someone with the consciousness of a Qi Building cultivator, it's too easy to stimulate those vengeful spirits and incapacitate you all! Give up, you mortals will never be able to stand against cultivators!"
I'm just twenty steps away from Makli Wangshin.
Behind me is a trail of blood, shaped by my footsteps.
My internal energy is the same as before, but the slowly flowing blood is now gradually diminishing.
Between me and Makli Wangshin is the whirlwind he created.
Can I break through?
"How dare you! Get lost!"
Makli Wangshin's verbal spell shakes my mind again.
Hundreds of disciples' souls in my head scream, and I spurt blood from my nose and mouth.
My head turns white.
But even in this pain...
I keep moving my sword.
I've moved it thousands, tens of thousands of times.
Continuously training and practicing.
Even while teaching my disciples, I never let go of my sword!
Because I was attached.
Maybe even in death, I might keep swinging my sword.
So...
"I!!!"
This sword...
"Will not give up!!!"
I will not let go!
One step.
Another step.
One step.
One more.
Step by step, step by step, step by step...
Spewing blood from my mouth, unable to see ahead due to blood, but still, step by step.
I keep moving slowly.
But steadily.
Thus, I keep moving forward.
Splosh, splash!
Even the Jin Clan cultivators wandering in the air burst into blood rain one by one under Makli Wangshin's attack.
But only I keep steadily approaching him.
A look of dread emerges on Makli Wangshin's face.
The color of his consciousness reflects the same.
"Those behind me!"
Shiiik!
A wind blade from Makli Wangshin tears a chunk from my waist.
A terrifying wind tears the skin from my sword-wielding hand.
"I will not let them die!"
Boom!
The Sword Gang erupts from my sword, piercing Makli Wangshin's whirlwind.
I see his startled face.
"What, what is this...!"
Just then.
Suddenly, I see the seventh color that I've never been able to see before.
No, it's not 'seeing.'
It's 'knowing.'
'Ah, I see.'
Joy
Anger
Sorrow
Pleasure
Love
Hate
And finally.
Desire
My greatest desire was ultimately, life ().
Therefore, the color of my desire was the color of life.
What color is life?
Look up at the void.
Life is full of colors, full of lives.
Life is essentially many colors, and therefore, it is complete in itself.
Hence, the color of life is infinitely transparent, colorless ().
'Because it is all colors, it is colorless.'
That's right.
I've been seeing my desire's color from the beginning.
Colorless ()!
Since it has no color, it is all colors, and I've been seeing all the colors of life from the beginning.
Realizing the color of life for the first time, I found the answer to the question I had been searching for.
How can humans know infinite colors?
How can humans reach beyond Three Flowers Gather at the Summit to Five Energies Converging to the Origin?
Simple.
In fact, humans, all beings, cannot be infinite.
We must acknowledge that infiniteness and accept the infinite variations of colors.
'Maybe my reluctance to send my disciples away, my obstruction of their desired vengeance, was just my obsession, arrogance, and ignorance. I never cared about their wishes from the beginning.'
In a world of infinite possibilities, one earns the right to see a new world.
At life's end, I shed my obsessions and arrogance. By acknowledging my own emotions, I finally recognized the feelings of my disciples.
My vision began to change.
The six most fundamental colors, plus the completely transparent colorless!
These seven hues merge together.
Mixing, transforming, integrating!
In this transformation, I see countless new colors, previously invisible.
Though I can't perceive all these infinite colors, I sense their essence.
What these colors represent, and how far I can see into this infinite realm of human emotion!
My soul's microcosm () opens, connecting with the heaven and earth!
An infinite spectrum of colors intertwine and fully integrate.
I now see the one color formed from all these hues.
Colorless!
The one color formed from all colors becomes completely transparent, starting to assimilate the surrounding space.
Till now, I've only perceived the flow of intent through sight and sensation.
Now, the flows between heaven and earth enter my mind through the space I've assimilated!
Information from all surrounding spaces seem graspable in my hand!
In this space of all-encompassing awareness, I launch a strike and take a step forward.
"How can a mere mortal awaken such consciousness!" exclaims Makli Wangshin in astonishment.
"Perish, you lowly mortal. How dare you step into the realm of Qi Refining!"
His consciousness resonates, and the spirits of my disciples scream within my mind.
Despite reaching this new realm, their agonizing cries still cause pain.
Yet, within their wails, I understand why I awakened the seventh color.
I can now hear them.
"Don't die."
"Please live!"
"We wish for your survival!"
The voices of my deceased disciples aren't just cries; they're fervent desires.
The will to live!
The same yearning for life I always had.
These myriad voices have led me here.
I speak out, blood gushing, but undeterred, shouting with all my might.
My disciples, both the living and the departed, though my foolishness has caused you pain, now I will end this source of suffering.
"Survive!!!"
Survive and experience this beautiful, transparent life.
My Sword Gang shines with a brightness that cannot be compared to ever before.
Let your momentum rival the mountains, let your heart reach the heavens!
Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven!
I open every meridian, squeezing out the last vestige of Qi.
Only five steps from Makli Wangshin.
My Sword Gang pierces through Makli Wangshins whirlwinds and defenses.
"Persistent vermin, you still defy me!"
He bellows, but to no avail.
He attempts to flee to the sky, but it does nothing but relieve my concern for his wide-area spells.
"Ha ha, once you go up to the sky, what can a guy like you do..."
There's no more internal energy left in my body.
But, I still have my willpower left!
Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts,
Ultimate Skill!
The final and ultimate technique pursued by Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts so far.
The last secret technique to create a slight chance to escape in front of a cultivator!
Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts
"Endless Middle Path ()!"
All my intent converge into one point.
That point, like the speed of light, penetrates the consciousness of Makli Wangshin, and delves into his upper dantian.
"Aaaaagh!"
He grabs his head and falls back to the ground.
Starting by slicing through the domain of consciousness,
In the end, the Record delves into the deepest recesses of human consciousness, attacking the spirit itself, the ultimate skill!
A strike that directly attacks the opponent's mind with my mental strength.
An attack that could not be blocked by anything other than withstanding it with one's own mental strength.
Stride forward!
"This, this guy...!"
As he forms a hand seal, a sharp wind blade is shot towards me.
There's no more internal energy left.
I just slash with the most efficient movements!
Swoosh!
Both his wind blade and my sword shatter at the same time.
Stride forward!
Another step!
"Get away!"
Whoosh!
I throw a hidden weapon at his leg to prevent him from retreating.
Makli Wangshin, without a moment to form a spell seal, wildly spews out his spiritual power.
A violent windstorm approaches.
Not a speck of internal energy or strength left.
But, undeterred, I reach out my hand.
Dropping the hilt of my broken sword, I approach him through the wind.
Makli Wangshin, having lived for 298 years, felt fear at the hands of a mere martial artist for the first time.
He doesn't tire.
He doesn't know how to give up!
Makli Wangshin forcefully controlled the resentful spirits implanted by the Jin Clan, breaking through the Jin Clans spells and inducing their outburst.
Despite the agonizing pain akin to being continuously beheaded, this madman doesn't give up!
Even if flesh is torn, blood vomited, or sword broken!
He doesn't give up and, somehow, even awakens a cultivator-like consciousness as a mere mortal.
"No, high-level spells aren't activating!"
Somehow, with the pain of his consciousness being carved out with a sword, part of his original spirit became damaged.
He was unable to use any of his high-level spells, which were ordinarily easy to execute with simple hand gestures.
He could still potentially cast high-level spells, but in his current state, he would need to perform the full ritual of forming hand seals and chanting mantras.
And right there, the monstrous martial artist reaches out his hand!
"Think! Think!"
He had defeated all the Jin Clan cultivators.
Just this leech-like martial artist is left, and victory was his.
"Right, he doesn't seem to have any Qi in his body!"
Makli Wangshin forcefully expels more spiritual power, pushing away Seo Eun-hyun with a violent wind.
"It's my victory!"
Just then, it happened.
The fundamental energy of heaven and earth began to stir.
"What's this...?"
Makli Wangshin, with a dumbfounded look, watched the flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy.
"The Five Elements Spiritual Energy..?"
The five basic strands of spiritual energy, floating in the air, began to form a circle.
Makli Wangshin's eyes widened.
"Could it be..."
He had seen it before.
Written in ancient texts.
A record that even mortals, through continuous training, can reach a state akin to a cultivator's Five Elements Spiritual Roots.
'The sudden awakening of consciousness...!'
The circular Qi containing the five strands of elemental spiritual energy, turned into five circles, swirling above Seo Eun-hyun's head.
Eventually, the five types of Qi crumbled into a multicolored energy.
The multicolored energy entered Seo Eun-hyun's nose and mouth.
'No, this can't be happening!'
A considerable amount of spiritual energy had appeared in the opponent who previously had none.
Seo Eun-hyun, who seemed almost dead, was now pushing through the violent wind.
Crash!
"Aaaargh!"
Seo Eun-hyun, breaking through the wind, grabbed both arms of Makli Wangshin.
Makli Wangshin screamed under his powerful grip.
"A lifetime of holding the sword til it crumbles."
Seo Eun-hyun's eyes met with Makli Wangshin's.
"Once I grab something, I never let go!"
Rumbling!
Makli Wangshin's face turned pale as a ghost.
A pure white light formed in the empty air.
Gang Qi began to form.
'I'm, I'm dying...!'
Flash!
The light exploded.
"....?"
Makli Wangshin slowly opened his tightly shut eyes.
He was alive.
"Gasp... Huff..."
Whoosh-
The cluster of light in the air dispersed.
The last spark of life had disappeared from Seo Eun-hyun's eyes.
"...Dead, huh..."
Eyes wide open.
Still holding onto Makli Wangshin's arms.
He died standing there, so fiercely.
"Ha, haha... So that's it."
Makli Wangshin forced a laugh as he observed Seo Eun-hyun's body with his consciousness.
"The backlash of forcefully maintaining energy! Hahaha, no wonder he wouldn't fall. Indeed, such a technique can't be without repercussions. Ha, haha..."
He was alive.
He had survived.
"Heh, heheh... I won, you mere mortal..."
Just as he was about to shout his victory.
The dust cloud rising around began to settle.
Beyond the dust, numerous figures stood.
"Ha, haha. What's this now? Aren't these the insignificant bugs that were hiding and trembling behind?"
Seo Eun-hyun's disciples.
They were trembling, grinding their teeth in anger.
Makli Wangshin, thinking Kim Young-hoon, the monstrous martial artist who had destroyed his body might have regained consciousness, checked his surroundings with his consciousness, but...
Kim Young-hoon was still lying down.
"Hahaha, no matter how many of you trash gather, what can you do! You're nothing compared to that guy I was just dealing with..."
Makli Wangshin clicked his tongue, thinking of extracting the vital essence of these trash to recover his life force.
Just as he was about to form a hand seal.
Suddenly!
"....!"
Seo Eun-hyun's corpse was still not letting go of his arms.
Despite being a corpse, his hands would not release.
'I can't feel my blood circulation!'
He couldn't even form a hand seal, let alone feel his hands!
Makli Wangshin desperately tried to form a foot seal or use the Yu Step Method (), but...
Even that was impossible, possibly due to the hidden weapons Seo Eun-hyun had thrown at his legs.
'Damn it!'
Makli Wangshin's triumphant expression twisted into a gruesome scowl.
His arms and legs were sealed, and due to the technique used by Seo Eun-hyun, his primordial spirit was damaged, preventing him from using high-level spells through his consciousness.
His options were running out.
"Cry out!"
Makli Wanghin's command activated the resentful spirits remaining in Seo Eun-hyun's disciples.
Yes, that can be done.
"Cry out...cry..."
Plop, pop-
Clear lights began to rise around Seo Eun-hyun, and also around his disciples.
Makli Wangshin knew exactly what it was.
"The spirits...? The spirit ascension technique...?"
The resentful spirits remaining in the disciples were being purified and ascending to heaven.
Both in Seo Eun-hyun's body, due to his death.
And in his disciples' bodies...
"Master, why... did you use your last for us..!"
Man-ho cried with tears flowing. Following him, many disciples started to weep, biting their lips.
Makli Wangshin realized something.
"Damn it, damn it..!"
The Gang Qi formed by Seo Eun-hyun at the last moment hadn't dispersed.
Instead of striking Makli Wangshin, it rapidly spread in hundreds of directions, penetrating the souls of his disciples.
At the final moment, he chose to break the spells engraved in his disciples' upper dantians instead of killing the enemy.
Makli Wangshin's face became desperate.
His hands, feet, and consciousness were all bound.
Even his verbal spell was denied!
Then, Man-ho, Kae-hwa, Cheong-ya, and others.
Countless disciples of Seo Eun-hyun, with tears, drew their weapons.
Even if Seo Eun-hyun had broken the spell, it wouldn't dissolve unless they themselves released their families.
But they heard it.
"Live!!!"
Seo Eun-hyun's voice.
The will to live within it.
The moment the spells imposed by the Jin Clan broke with the Gang Qi sent by Seo Eun-hyun,
Everyone felt Seo Eun-hyuns will.
"Leave the rest to us."
He entrusted the final blow to his disciples, believing in them.
Trust towards his disciples.
And the opportunity they dreamed of to strike down the Emperor.
Just to give them that chance.
"Just for that opportunity."
"You tell us to live, but how can we if you leave first!"
Only then did the disciples understand their master.
Just like how their master realized and understood their own stubbornness, they too understood the bitterness of leaving behind those they cherished.
"Get out of here, you mere mortals! You trash!"
Whoosh-
Makli Wangshin hastily unfolded a low-level defensive spell, but as about 300 peak masters continuously bombarded the barrier, it began to thin out.
"Oh no..! I'm a cultivator. I'm the founding emperor of Yanguo, a cultivator who has reached the peak of Qi Building! I am, I am..."
He looked with eyes filled with terror at the corpse of Seo Eun-hyun, still holding his arms.
Seo Eun-hyun's corpse, still glaring at him with eyes wide open.
Dead, yet his presence was as mighty as Mount Tai ().
"I am, I am..."
Beyond the mountains, there are endless mountains (),
And in the middle of the road, the path is endless ().
A single person might come to their end.
But what that person leaves behind never fades.
Crack!
Makli Wangshin's barrier shattered.
Beyond the barrier, the eyes of Seo Eun-hyun's disciples, inheriting his will and shining just like their deceased master, glared at Makli Wangshin.
Beyond the Mount Tai that was Seo Eun-hyun, the mountains continued unceasingly.
"I, I want to live.."
Man-ho's great sword decapitated Makli Wangshin.
Thud!
The life of Makli Wangshin who stubbornly survived by forcefully taking over his descendant, the current emperor Makli Jung, came to an end.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
The founding emperor Makli Wangshin.
And the current emperor Makli Jung.
Man-ho, having decapitated him, held Makli Jung's head and looked at the still-standing dead body of Seo Eun-hyun.
Seo Eun-hyun's corpse, with eyes now closed, had a faint smile of satisfaction.
"...You watched till the end."
Man-ho, with tears, laid Makli Wangshin's head before him.
And then, knelt down.
Kae-hwa, Cheong-ya, Yeok-san, Yeol-ya, Gwak-gisu...
All 300 or so disciples knelt down in turn.
"Please rest peacefully!"
Seo Eun-hyun's disciples bowed together, bidding their master a final farewell.
Translator notes: With that, the 5th and the longest cycle so far, is now over. What is in store for our main character now that he obtained the qualifications to cultivate? Come back next time (aka tomorrow) to find out!
How did yall like this arc? Personally, this battle is one of my favorites. I teared up at the end during my first read. Anyway, the next couple chapters are gonna be a little shorter (bless my soul) but the story is gonna get more and more interesting. I'd also appreciate it a lot if you guys can give a rating on novelupdates. Just give it what you think it is. More ratings, no matter the rating, gets more people to read and more comments for me to see!
***
Blink
"Heugh!"
I gasped for breath as I opened my eyes.
I'm alive.
It was still the familiar smell of plants and trees.
I had returned again.
"Deputy Manager Seo."
"Hmm, be quiet for a moment."
Thump!
Before Jeon Myeong-hoon could say anything, I moved quickly and pressed his sleep acupoint.
Then, I quickly pressed the sleep acupoints of Kim Young-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, Kang Min-hee, Oh Hye-seo, and Kim Yeon.
Thud, thud, thud!
All six, excluding me, fell asleep on the spot, and I quickly dug up some sleeping grass around me.
After extracting the juice skillfully, I administered it into their mouths.
They won't be able to wake up for at least three to four hours.
"...A bit stiff."
Perhaps due to forcibly drawing internal energy through a body devoid of any internal energy, my arms and legs felt a bit stiff.
I wandered around, quickly digging up a yellow bamboo root, and popped into my mouth.
Crunch, crunch-
I chewed on a bit of dirt, but that was bearable.
After chewing on the yellow bamboo root for a while, I felt a warm energy surging in my stomach.
I sat down and started to meditate, first anchoring the Dragon Vein Qi Method in my meridians.
How many times did I perform internal cultivation while sitting?
"Hoo..."
I could feel all the fatigue in my body being relieved.
"Now that the framework is set, let's give it a proper try..."
The last moments of my past life.
During the fight with Makli Wangshin, a new realm was drawn by the souls of my disciples.
"Hooo..."
Taking a deep breath, I got up and recalled the final moments' memory.
Then, I took the stance of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
While Kim Young-hoon achieved enlightenment sitting in a lotus position, I found holding the riding stance a bit more comfortable.
Whoosh- Boong-
With empty hands, I revived the memories and sensations from that time.
Joy (), anger (), sorrow (), pleasure (), love (), hatred (), desire ().
The seven basic emotions and intents.
Based on these basic intents, a multitude of colors fill the space between heaven and earth.
All these immense intent were emanating from me alone.
'Integrate them.'
As numerous as they seem, the subject is ultimately one.
All originated from one color spectrum.
The myriad of colors intertwined and integrated.
Then, they became colorless and merged into the void.
As the infinite colors reached their limit, they transformed into the nothingness.
Thus, my intent evolved into divine consciousness , encroaching the surrounding space.
'Entering.'
Even with my eyes completely closed, all the information from the surrounding space entered my mind.
It wasn't just reading intent.
Integrating all intents, I sensed the world itself!
My six sleeping colleagues, rustling in their sleep.
The smell of grass.
Small insects crawling under the ground.
The warm sunshine.
Small leaves swaying in the wind.
All information seemed graspable in the palm of my hand.
I awakened a new sensation I had never felt before.
Not just the flow of intent, but the flow of the world.
The flow of heaven and earth that operates the world!
The Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth!
'This is... Spiritual Energy...'
Everything in the universe has Spiritual Energy.
Even if not like human intent, each has its unique energy (Qi).
This energy naturally flowed, aligned with each object's movement and operation.
I sensed the flow of energy from a small ant crawling under the ground, solving one of the mysteries I had always wondered about.
Intent is something only the living possess.
That's why Jiangshi cannot use sword energy.
But why did I sense intent even from the Jiangshi?
'It wasn't human intent.'
I merely read the natural flow of energy in Jiangshi.
Whoosh-
While sensing the flow of thousands of strands of heaven and earth's spiritual energy.
I realized something was wrong.
'My head, it hurts.'
It felt like it was about to burst.
This wasn't just a metaphor.
Right now, my head was literally swelling up in real-time.
I had felt this sensation a long time ago.
When I was transitioning from first-rate to peak.
All day long, imitating the vision of peak masters!
When my brain was overloaded back then, I felt a similar sensation for a moment.
'My brain is overloading!'
It was on the verge of explosion from the overwhelming volume of information
Not metaphorically, but in reality, the upper dantian was absorbing the surrounding energy, causing my head to actually swell.
'Right, it was like that then too.'
Even in the final moments of my past life, it wasn't much different.
It was just that I hadn't paid attention to it due to the wailing in my brain and the pain throughout my body.
Indeed, this is what happens when one acquires a consciousness like that of a cultivator.
'Back then...'
Recalling the enlightenment from my past life, I began to take the same actions as I did at that time.
I slowly observed my body.
The balance of the upper, middle, and lower dantians were twisted and discordant.
The upper dantian had become excessively large and was still growing in real-time.
If left as it is, my head would eventually not withstand the growth of the upper dantian and would explode.
'I shall evolve my physical body!'
The Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth inherently seeks to harmonize all things.
Therefore, naturally, the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth began to seep into me, responding to my severe disharmony.
The Five Elements Spiritual Energy, the most fundamental of the Energy of Heaven and Earth, the origin of all Qi movements in the universe and nature.
Five strands of energy gathered towards my upper dantian and converged above it.
Eventually, the Five Elements Spiritual Energy crumbled into one and started seeping into my body through my nose and mouth.
'Hooo...'
Inside my body, the fundamental five energies, which establish the balance of all things under heaven, began to flow.
Instinctively, I realized what I needed to do.
'I must evolve my physical body!'
Based on these five streams of energy, I must completely remodel my body to withstand the growth of the upper dantian!
I finally understood what rejuvenation truly meant.
Previously, I thought that the Spiritual Energy seeping into the body would naturally evolve it.
I was mistaken. Energy doesn't evolve the body; it's just the material used for remodeling.
The actual agent of rejuvenation was always myself.
'I, personally!'
Crack, crackle!
'I must balance my body!'
With intent, I rearranged my bones and muscles.
I pulled and optimized the meridians, making them flow through the most efficient paths.
The Five Elements Spiritual Energy did not directly help but showed me the 'right' way to reconfigure my bones and muscles.
Adding my medical knowledge from being a doctor, I was able to easily remodel my body.
Bones rearranged, skin shed.
Useless fat pushed out, and toxins like nicotine and cholesterol in the blood vessels expelled.
My entire body's bones and muscles were remodeled into a form optimized for accepting the flow of Energy from heaven and earth.
The best physique for martial arts.
The meridians widened, the bones and muscles strengthened, and the dantian expanded significantly.
Simultaneously, all the minute blood vessels in my body opened wide, absorbing the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth little by little.
I could live by just breathing through the skin without needing to breathe through my nose.
At this moment, I was more of an evolved human than a regular human.
Flash!
As I opened my eyes, it seemed as if pure light flowed from within.
"Hoo..."
With empty hands, I performed the primary stance and unfolded the Severing Mountain Swordsmanships Transcending Peaks.
Tiny dewdrops at the tips of the grass under my feet were flung up by my stance.
With my movements, the dewdrops flew higher into the air, and in my eyes, I could clearly see the trajectory of each droplet.
Within those droplets, I could see a reflection.
Flawlessly clear skin, a face not particularly handsome but without superfluity.
Though not much, a considerably younger face.
Through rebirth and rejuvenation, my own reflection was seen in those dewdrops.
Shush!
I sliced through the air with my hand, and the sharp intent split the dewdrop in mid-air.
Continuously unfolding sword techniques.
The flow of energy floating between heaven and earth.
I infused my intent into that flow, injecting my internal energy.
Whoosh-
Gang Qi began to form in the empty space.
Now, I could use the 'flow' of the void itself as a weapon!
Crash!
Grasping the Gang Qi formed in the air, I used the first to the twenty-second moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Then, I decided to do something I had always wanted to try.
Whish!
I performed the Mountain Lords Soaring Flight and leaped towards the highest tree nearby.
In an instant, I reached the top of the tree and kicked off a branch from there.
I could see.
Into the newly acquired consciousness.
Into the sensations of my newly acquired physical body.
The countless wind patterns flowing through the sky.
And the flow of the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth between the winds.
'Is this how it's done?'
Naturally, in my mind, I figured out where I could 'step.'
With optimized movements and without any waste, I 'stepped' on the breezing wind and the flow of Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth.
Boom!
My foot struck the void.
Stepping in the Void ()!
Although it wasn't familiar yet and consumed a lot of my internal energy, I felt a tingling pleasure coursing through my body as I continued to step in the void.
Boom, boom, boom!
Stepping on the void, I continuously soared higher into the sky.
Higher and higher!
The ground gradually became distant, and the sky drew closer.
I moved my feet faster, stepping on the flow of the void and surging towards the sky.
Then, suddenly.
Whoosh!
I broke through the clouds and found myself above them.
"Ha, hahaha... hahahaha..."
Shaking off the water droplets that clung to my entire body, with the white sea of clouds beneath my feet, I laughed out loud.
Finally, I have reached it.
The realm I had longed for and aspired to.
The minimum requirement I aimed for.
Unknowingly, I felt tears welling up.
The tears, mixed with the droplets from the clouds, began to fall to the sky below.
"...Thank you."
I spoke to my disciples from my past life, to those across the timeline whom I could never see again.
"It was thanks to you that I could reach this point."
I nurtured you with my heart.
But now, I will never be able to see you again.
The you in this returned time won't be the disciples I raised.
Since I can never see you again, all I can do is wholeheartedly thank you.
Thank you, my disciples.
And I'm sorry, my disciples.
I was able to reach this realm by taking care of you, listening to your wishes, acting foolishly on my stubbornness... and cutting through that stubbornness.
The realm I endlessly aspired to reach.
"The Five Energies Converging to the Origin."
Not maintaining Stepping in the Void, I fell back down, facing the patterns of the wind.
I embraced the refreshing breeze from the expansive sky, while simultaneously cherishing the memories of my disciples deep within my heart.
Holding onto these past memories, I came to understand that I had truly arrived at the starting point.
Whoosh!
'From now on, it's the real beginning...'
Buried in the clouds, I thought so.
Yes, from now on, it's the real starting line.
***
I descended to the ground, woke up my companions, and briefly explained the situation.
It seems we are stranded, with no knowledge of our location, and so on...
I led the group to a cave, lit a fire, and fed them some food.
After that, I put them back to sleep and left the cave.
Thud!
I kicked off the air and ran towards where the fox was.
Thud...
How long did I wander in the air?
I was able to sense the vast field of consciousness once again.
A giant fox with three tails.
This time, how far can I go?
Thump-
I landed on the ground.
Then, I slowly approached the fox while simultaneously using Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts.
Buzz, Whirr!
Creating a hand blade, I cut through the air, slicing through the fox's perception, and approached it slowly.
Just ten steps from the field of consciousness.
That was my limit in the past life.
What about now?
Step-
Without hesitation, I moved within ten steps.
Step-
And then another step.
The texture of consciousness is much clearer and more distinct than when I first reached the stage of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.
It's clear how to cut and navigate through it.
I continued walking towards the fox's field of consciousness.
Nine steps, eight steps, seven steps...
Three steps, two steps, and then the last one.
Hesitating with just one step left, I focused my intent more intensely and took that final step into the fox's field of consciousness.
Ugh-
Like so, I successfully entered the fox's domain of consciousness.
'The consciousness of a Core Formation demon. Finally...'
I smiled within the fox's consciousness.
Finally, I can operate to some extent within the consciousness of a Core Formation being.
That is, at least I can flee in front of a Core Formation cultivator.
I continued to navigate the fox's field of consciousness using the martial arts created by Kim Young-hoon.
The size of the fox's consciousness extends 30 zhang (100 m) in radius from the fox.
I continued walking, closing in about 1 zhang closer to the fox.
The remaining distance is about 29 zhang.
The fox's consciousness gets much denser from here on.
However, I concentrated my consciousness and gather my intent.
The essence of Kim Young-hoon's enlightenment, evolved from Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, is still vivid in my mind.
'Its minimum entry requirement is Five Energies Converging to the Origin. Just as a first-rate cannot understand the world of the pinnacle and an early peak cannot understand the world of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit. Anyone below Five Energies cannot comprehend this martial art system. It's incomplete because it can't be properly transmitted.'
The end of my past life.
Kim Young-hoon's words echo in my mind.
'But you don't need to worry. This martial art will now...'
I concentrate.
'Be inherited by me...'
Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts!
A supreme martial art system that only begins with Five Energies, born through all the stages from Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts to Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts.
That enlightenment blooms from my fingertips.
Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts lets one slice through consciousness.
Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts lets one harmonize with consciousness.
Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts lets one divide consciousness!
Sword Gang forms in the air.
The shining Sword Gang, moving on its own, unfolds Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts and burrows into the fox's consciousness.
Since Sword Gang is inanimate, it doesn't cause any worry for biological reactions or other thoughts, making it much more easy to enter and only needs to cut through consciousness.
The Sword Gang swiftly crosses another 6 zhang, closing the distance to the fox t0 23 zhang.
Beyond this point, the density of the consciousness was definitely thicker, making it hard to approach.
I dispersed the Sword Gang and organized the essence of Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts.
'So this is what the enlightenment of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts is like...'
A technique where I divide my consciousness, input actions, and implement it.
Not just simple actions, but even thoughts and enlightenment could be input, allowing me to fully unfold my techniques.
'This is the essence leading to the next realm beyond Five Energies Converging to the Origin...'
The realm of using Gang Qi Compression Sphere.
Until now, I wondered how Kim Young-hoon managed to intercept opponents with spheres of Gang Qi but now I'm beginning to understand.
If I continue to follow the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts, I will eventually reach the realm beyond Five Energies.
With that hope, I cut through the fox's consciousness again and return to the cave.
The next morning.
The fox came again, asking for my arm, and I simply gave it to it again.
Maybe because my new arm was free of cholesterol and nicotine, the fox chewed it very deliciously, seemingly coveting the rest of me, but eventually said it would come back in five days and left.
It seems my body has become more suited to the fox's taste after my transformation.
A few days passed.
Soon they arrived..
Swoosh-
As Sir Chang-ho stomped his foot, my arm regenerated.
Three cultivators appeared and looked around us.
This time, the reaction was slightly different than before.
[Hmm, so there are four with spiritual roots.]
The middle-aged man in a golden robe flicked his hand.
As his consciousness moved, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth spontaneously writhed and enveloped me, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, and Kang Min-hee.
'This is a new sight.'
Until now, only the same three were chosen, but now I was also the subject of their interest.
They chatted amongst themselves, then one by one took Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kang Min-hee, Oh Hyun-seok, and turned their attention to me.
[Hmm, not responding to my spell.]
[No reaction to my Earthen Listening Technique.]
[My Law View shows no reaction.]
"..."
Woong woong-
I felt my consciousness tremble at their strange method of conversation, resonating with vibrations.
I didnt realize until now, but with awakened consciousness, I understood their way of speaking was not through voice but by directly infusing meaning into consciousness.
[Well, let's see what kind of spiritual nature you have.]
The man in the golden robe reached out to me.
Woong woong-
"Cough!"
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth moved on its own, compressing my entire body.
At the same time, the spiritual energy forced its way into my meridians, wreaking havoc throughout.
Simultaneously, I felt the consciousness of the man in the golden robe thoroughly searching my entire body.
"Kgh, Agh!"
Pain as if holes were being drilled into all my meridians!
But I clenched my teeth and endured the pain.
After a while, the cultivator in the golden robe crudely withdrew the spiritual energy from my body and spoke,
[Hmm, you have good endurance. But...]
Pfft!
The spiritual energy that had exited my body gathered in the air and split into five streams of energy.
The attributes of the Five Elements.
Seeing this, interest faded from the eyes of the cultivator in the golden robe and the others.
[Five Elements Spiritual Roots.]
[That impure energy I feel from his body... Is he a martial artist?]
[Ha ha ha, judging by his expression, he seems to have been unaware of the cultivation world. Perhaps, he just lived in the mountains, unaware of his own spiritual nature, practicing martial arts.]
The blue-armored cultivator, Chang-ho, laughed heartily.
[You seem to be unaware of the cultivation world. For spiritual nature or spiritual roots of cultivators, the fewer attributes they have, the faster the cultivation speed. Conversely, the more attributes, the slower the cultivation progress.
That is why a single attribute spiritual nature is called 'Heavenly Spiritual Nature.' Two or three attributes are called 'True Spiritual Nature.' Four or five attributes are called 'Mixed Spiritual Nature' and are disdained.]
"..."
[Ha ha ha, but don't worry too much. If cultivation was solely determined by natural talent, those with Five Elements Spiritual Roots like you would have all hanged themselves by now. Cultivation is not just about talent, but also understanding of techniques and realms, and overall mental capacity is important.
Persistence, patience, and willpower also play a significant part. From what I've seen, you have terrible talent and I'm not sure about your mental capacity, but you passed that nasty golden robe guy's brutal spiritual nature test without screaming, so your endurance and willpower seem excellent.]
Pfft!
Sir Chang-ho laughed heartily and flicked a small cluster of light towards me.
The cluster of light merged into the back of my hand, transforming into a small mark.
[At the farthest reaches of my family's extended lineage...there is a cultivator clan established by those guys. They're too weak and overall frail to be taken to the Ascension Gate this time. Still, this might be of help to you. It's a recommendation letter for an external member of the family.
They're in a country of mortals called Byeokra, and they use the surname Cheongmun, so you should head to the Cheongmun Clan.]
After finishing his words, Sir Chang-ho and the other two cultivators turned into clusters of light and vanished into the sky.
"..."
I quietly greeted Sir Chang-ho while looking at the small mark imprinted on my hand.
"Hey, Deputy Manager Seo. What exactly did they say?"
"...I'm not quite sure myself."
I shook my head, pretending not to know, and another day passed.
Just like before, a storm blew.
I lay in the cave, nursing Deputy Manager Oh Hye-seo, who was groaning in pain, and observed her.
'The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is moving around her.'
I hadn't known before, but now, with awakened consciousness, I could tell.
The vast spiritual power of the sky was swirling around her.
Sometime later, Sea Dragon King Seo Hweol appeared, took her away, and soon after, Manager Kim Yeon awoke her powers.
Kugugugugu-
'This is...'
Only now, with awakened consciousness, could I vaguely see the reality of Manager Kim Yeon's abilities.
'Incredible. This is a humans consciousness?'
Countless threads of consciousness, seemingly thousands, millions, even billions, were emerging around her, enveloping the space between heaven and earth.
The size of these threads of consciousness seemed not to pale in comparison to those of cultivators.
At the same time, I noticed her upper dantian rapidly expanding.
'Suffering the same side effects as me upon awakening her abilities...'
I let out a small exclamation at her ability and pressed some acupoints to stabilize her upper dantian a bit.
"Deputy Manager Seo... touching me like this, my head seems to hurt less..."
"..."
Manager Kim Yeon held her head and looked at me.
Then, she looked in one direction.
The direction where the several cultivators and the Sea Dragon King had headed.
From there, a hunchback strange being was flying towards us.
Whoosh-
As soon as the hunchback being arrived, he looked at me and Manager Kim Yeon, flicking his finger at her.
A white cluster of light flew and landed on Manager Kim Yeon's upper Ddantian, starting to ease the twisting effect.
'What's that?'
I had never seen such a thing in my past life.
It must be something hes been using all along but I could only see now with awakened consciousness.
The hunchback old man examined Manager Kim Yeon, then turned his gaze to me.
[Hmm... hm, what's this.]
Like the previous cultivators, the hunchbacks gaze was different from the previous encounters.
[Let's see, this bone structure, this spiritual nature, this size of consciousness...]
After examining me for a moment, the hunchback suddenly approached and started fiddling with my body.
Shortly after, the hunchback chuckled and giggled.
[Hehehe, I see. This internal energy. This bone structure. These meridians. The size of consciousness, and especially the Five Element Spiritual Roots. You're the same kind as that person I saw in my youth!]
The hunchback revealed his teeth and giggled.
[You, you weren't born a chosen cultivator, were you? Right?]
"....!"
I couldn't help but flinch at those words.
None of the previous cultivators or the Sea Dragon King had noticed that fact.
Or perhaps they just weren't interested.
The old man chuckled and continued to grope me.
I felt a bit annoyed, but seeing the size of his consciousness, I knew I couldn't oppose him and had to silently endure.
[Ah, your consciousness is stirring. I was right. You... are a martial artist who has learned martial arts and entered the realm of cultivators. Right?]
"...How did you know?"
I asked in Yanguos language so Kim Yeon and Director Kim wouldn't understand.
The hunchback old man chuckled and spoke.
[Well, I saw someone just like you about sixteen hundred years ago. Yes, martial artists call this realm 'Five Energies Converging to the Origin', dont they?]
"...Indeed."
I expected they were beings who lived for a very long time.
Such beings, having lived for so long, would surely have encountered a martial artist who had reached the realm of Five Energies at least once.
[That person was also considered a genius by the standards of the martial world. I met them when I was in Qi Building, and they were able to compete with me to some extent.
Although they eventually lost to me, it was quite an entertaining experience. After meeting them, I scoured ancient texts to see if there were any other such peculiar beings. It turns out, every few hundred years, such individuals do emerge, albeit very rarely.
Their characteristics were all the same as yours.]
The old man touched my shoulder.
[Very sturdy physique. Wide meridians. A martial artist's internal energy fully filling the dantian.]
The old man grabbed my chin, forcibly opened my mouth, and pointed at my teeth.
For a moment, I felt the urge to kick him away, but knowing the potential backlash, I had no choice but to forcibly suppress my irritation.
[Perfectly symmetrical and clean teeth alignment. Such alignment can't naturally occur. Even cultivators born with spiritual roots don't have such teeth. Only martial artists who have reached Five Energies Converging to the Origin and undergone a complete transformation have such teeth.]
The old man let go of my chin and touched my consciousness domain with his own, speaking.
[And the consciousness of a typical 3rd or 4th Star Qi Refining. To think a martial artist without a speck of spiritual power would have such consciousness? Impossible. Such an enlarged consciousness is only seen in martial artists who have awakened their consciousness at Five Energies Converging to the Origin. Most importantly, your Five Elements Spiritual Roots.]
He then grabbed my wrist, sending energy through it like checking the pulse.
[Martial artists when reaching Five Energies Converging to the Origin evenly draw the spiritual energy of the Five Elements from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to prevent imbalance in the upper dantian during their transformation.
Thanks to this, martial artists at Five Energies Converging to the Origin have much more evenly distributed spiritual energy in their bodies compared to ordinary cultivators with Five Elements Roots. These are the proof that you are not an ordinary cultivator with Five Elements Spiritual Roots but a martial artist at Five Energies Converging to the Origin.]
The hunchback chuckled and released his hand from me.
[Such facts are unknown unless you're as scholarly and wise as I am, having lived a long life. It feels like meeting an old friend from my youth, so I ended up talking a bit too much.]
It seemed he momentarily overlapped me with the martial artist he met sixteen hundred years ago.
The hunchback old man smirked while looking at the mark on my hand.
[Seeing the mark on your hand, it seems that Chang-ho, that kind soul, gave you a recommendation, right? Hahaha, what a foolish and stupid fellow. A martial artist who reached Five Energies Converging to the Origin would be perfect for inheriting the Body Refinement Technique he practices.
Just being at Five Energies Converging to the Origin guarantees basic combat power. To recommend such a person to a lowly clan in the lower realms, that foolish fellow made another mistake.]
He chuckled amusingly and asked me a question.
[I have a question for you. What is the primary martial art you practiced?]
"Swordsmanship."
[Oh, good. Swords are great. The friend I met used a spear mainly, but they also practiced swordsmanship. Most martial artists learn the sword anyway... Ah, but that's not the important part.
Regarding you.]
He looked at me with a wicked smile.
[Can you swear never to wield a sword for the rest of your life? If you make such a vow, I'll personally take you as my disciple.]
Never to wield a sword?
Contemplation was brief.
No, it would be more accurate to say there never was contemplation.
"Thank you for the offer, but I cannot let go of the sword."
[Hmm, even though if you become my disciple, you will get the opportunity to ascend beyond the Ascension Gate, directly to the higher realms?]
"I may be ignorant of what that opportunity entails, but I cannot give up the martial arts I have practiced all my life."
[If you become my disciple, you can live for hundreds of years more. And yet, you can't give up the martial arts you've only practiced for a few decades?]
Just a few decades.
I let out a small, bitter smile.
Not just a few decades, nor was it insignificant.
My past lives...
Yes, martial arts are my past lives.
"I apologize, but I... Even if I live a short life and die young, I cannot let go of the sword entrusted to my hand."
[Hmm...]
After examining me for a while, the hunchback old man let out a wry laugh.
[It seems boring. That person 1600 years ago said the same. Their consciousness was barely at the 4th Star of Qi Refining, but they could launch attacks beyond the peak of Qi Refining. It was fascinating, so I tried to take them as my disciple, but... they said the same as you.]
His expression seemed somewhat regretful.
[Fine. If you refuse to be my disciple, so be it. Just so you know, I have a bad temper, so I won't particularly recommend you like Chang-ho. It's just that our paths didn't cross. Now, get lost.]
Whoosh-
The old man extended his hand, and space behind him split open, emitting a dark void.
The same progression as before.
My body and Kim Young-hoon began to be sucked into the spatial rift.
[Well, I'm not pleased that you refused to be my disciple. But I respect your spirit, so I'll give you a gift.]
Pfft!
A white cluster of light burst from the fingertips of the hunchbacl old man.
The cluster of light seeped into my head as it was drawn into the spatial rift, and something seemed to imprint in my mind.
Like always, I fell through the spatial rift.
The difference from past lives was that the last thing I saw beyond the rift was not Manager Kim reaching out to us,
But the hunchback old man waving.
Whoosh-
The wind blows.
It's cold.
Everything around is utterly blue.
"....?"
'Where is this...'
I suddenly realized I was descending at high speed.
"....!!! This is crazy.."
I was startled and came to my senses.
Falling!
From the sky!
Looking around, Kim Young-hoon was also far away, falling with me.
I quickly deployed void stepping and caught Kim Young-hoon, pressing his sleep acupoint to keep him unconscious, then used void-stepping to reduce our falling speed.
After falling for a while, I stepped through the air and safely landed on the ground.
'If I hadn't come to my senses, I would have unknowingly transitioned to the next life.'
It's chilling.
No matter how random, I didn't expect to fall from the sky.
I wiped the cold sweat and looked around.
'First of all, this place is...'
After observing the terrain by leaping through the sky with void steps, I figured out roughly where I was.
'The west of Lianshan City ()...'
Lianshan City.
The city where I first fell.
After several regressions, I had fallen again near this place.
'First, let's see what the hunchback old man gave me...'
I closed my eyes and began to read the laws imprinted in my head by the hunchback old man.
***