The world isn't flat...but round?
And...it's connected to the world of Penglai Island?
I am confused by this nonsensical truth.
The reason for my astonishment is simple.
'It's exactly the same as the Head Realm.'
I thought it was because of fate.
Even though Qi is scarce and the Plane of Soul doesn't exist, fate itself exists in the form of attraction force. I though that was why everything, down to the alleyways of Cheon-saek City and Cheon-eum City, was the same.
In short, I believed the fate of this world is identical or at least similar to the fate of the Head Realm.
However, what does it mean that the world isn't flat but round?
This isn't simply a matter of debates like the flat earth theory or spherical earth theory.
'It's the fact that the form of attraction force must be completely different.'
The difference between a flat world and a spherical one is that the force of gravity operates completely differently.
Since fate is attraction force, it means that the fate of this world is entirely different from the Head Realm.
However, I've confirmed it in the alleyways of Cheon-saek City, and again in Shengzi, Byeokra, and Yanguo.
The groups and places in this world are almost identical to those in the Head Realm.
That means that in this world, there is something absolute called fate, and if the form of that fate is not similar to that of the head Head Realm, it would be impossible for it to exist like this.
Even so, this world is not flat.
What does that signify?
'It means this is a place controlled by a being capable of manipulating fate.'
Of course, it could simply be that the Owner of Salt Mountain left this world behind and set it up that way, but I don't think that's the case.
I recall the 'someone' who spoke to me by the campfire back on Ascension Path.
'That someone said they would not let it go if a snake is brought into this world.'
In other words, there's something akin to an 'administrator' in this world.
And that 'administrator' is observing us in real-time.
Of course, one could think that this world is merely a dream created based on our memories.
But that's not it.
'It's not just a simple dream.'
Recently, I've started finding more and more evidence that this world isn't merely a dream.
'This world might be another dimension, similar to the dimension cluster of the Ancient Force Realm.'
Thus, under the assumption that this world is not merely a dream but 'another dimension,' I concluded that an 'administrator' exists in this world.
'I hope the one managing this world doesn't harbor malice toward us...'
Amidst this confusing situation, I pray that the administrator of this world doesn't send malice our way.
While I'm organizing my thoughts, the bandaged monster's attack comes flying at me again.
Tukwang!
Once again, a stream of water surges up.
After seeing the dead sailors, I glare at the bandaged monster.
"What wrong did they commit...? No, forget it."
I know well the nature of these kinds of people.
They possess a disposition infinitely close to evil, the nature of devil path leaders (魔頭).
There's no need for me to understand them.
Kirik, kiriririk!
The bandages wrapped around my body wriggle as if they are alive.
Bang!
I leap into the sky and start to dance in the air.
Bo-oong!
Starting with daggers, dozens of bizarre weapons fly toward the bandaged monster.
The dagger that was the first to fly at them.
Pishitt!
The dagger grazes the bandaged monster's Protective Gang Qi, inflicting no damage.
But next comes a spear!
Kwang!
With a sound like thunder, the spear embeds itself into the bandaged monster's Protective Gang Qi.
The bandaged monster is pushed back slightly.
'With the next attack, I'll push them further into the sea. I have to change the battlefield to prevent the remaining sailors from dying...'
Just then, the bandaged monster sneers, inhales deeply, and lets out a deafening roar.
"Uwoooohhh!!"
Kugugugugu!
The entire sea vibrates!
The sheer sound alone, without any internal energy or spiritual power, seems to make my brain tremble.
Then, from behind them, spells start to erupt forth.
Chwaaaaaa!
It's blood.
Their blood starts to flow down into the sea, and the remaining sailors floating on the water begin to burst and die.
"You bastard!"
It's when I shout.
Clap!
The bandaged monster forms a hand seal.
At the same time, the sea starts to move.
'Are they someone who primarily mastered water-attribute spells? Damn it. Since spiritual energy isn't easy to sense in this world, I have to observe what element they're using first before judging.'
A sea of blood rises in waves from all four directions, crashing toward me.
Bang!
I kick off the air and rise into the sky.
Chwaaaaa!
The waves of the sea of blood trying to trap me from all four directions begin to devour each other and collapse, then starts to bloom a flower in their place.
'That's...?'
Chwarak, chwarararak!
Where the waves have subsided, a red flower begins to bloom and grow towards the sky.
Chalalalalala!
Salt.
It's red salt, stained with blood.
The salt covers the entire sea, forming a massive crystal. That crystal starts to form coral.
Coral that looks like a grotesque mixture of human limbs, faces, and bodies.
In an instant, that coral-shaped salt crystal creates a coral island.
Chwaaaak!
When the bandaged monster lands on the coral island, all the moisture on the island evaporates in an instant.
They form a hand seal.
Kugugugugu!
The coral island begins to rise into the sky.
The bandaged monster manipulates the coral island as if controlling a flying fortress.
Flash, flash!
Beams of light shoot out from the grotesque red coral island made of salt crystals.
'Madness!'
Tadatt!
I narrowly dodge the beams from the coral island.
Even in this world where spiritual energy is hard to sense, the energy coming from the beams is treacherous.
'If I get hit, I'll die on the spot.'
Kirik, kiririririk!
I move the bandages and step through the air.
Surung—
At the same time, I draw a sword from my robe.
The treasured sword of a desert tribe.
The treasured sword called Howling Resplendent Sword (絶叫玲瓏劍), said to have been forged by an artisan from Manli who picked up a black stone from the desert and was refined through generations.
'So, it's a sword made from the Black Castle, huh?'
It's essentially a relic of Yang Su-jin's shrine.
Anyway, this Howling Resplendent Sword has only one ability.
The more despair it consumes, the sharper, keener, and stronger it becomes.
It doesn't matter whether it's the despair of the opponent or the despair of its owner.
Crack...
I channel the pain I feel in my heart essence into the Howling Resplendent Sword.
Wiiiiiiing—
The Howling Resplendent Sword glows with a murky purple light as it begins to strengthen.
'Even though I can't feel the Plane of Soul, there are dharma treasures here that blatantly use the power of the Plane of Soul...this world truly is incomprehensible.'
After briefly analyzing the structure of the Howling Resplendent Sword, I fail to understand anything and swing it at the monster in front of me.
Bo-oong!
As the beams from the red salt coral island strike the Howling Resplendent Sword, they are immediately split apart.
Breaking through the beams from the salt coral island, I charge at the bandaged monster.
Chwarararak!
The bizarre weapons dance, swirling around me.
As the power of the bizarre weapons concentrates at a single point, they deflect the monster's attacks and occasionally counterattack toward the salt coral island.
Paaaatt!
Our exchange of blows gradually accelerates.
Piiiiiii—
At some point, I feel the surroundings become silent.
I've broken through the sound barrier.
As I move, the air is displaced, creating shockwaves.
But even as the shockwaves burst around me, they appear slow to my eyes.
Boo-oong, boong, boong!
I quickly circle around the salt coral island, searching for an opening.
'There are no openings.'
Even while moving at a speed that breaks the sound barrier, the bandaged monster doesn't reveal any gaps.
'They haven't learned martial arts.'
What this person has learned isn't Martial Arts.
It's simply movements meant for slaughtering, butchering, and trampling others.
Movements not systematically learned, but rather acquired through repeated acts of slaughter.
'But even though they haven't learned martial arts, they don't show any openings against me.'
That can only mean one thing.
This person's combat experience is...beyond imagination!
'...Is that even possible? To not show any openings against someone like me who has reached Void Shattering...with just the experience gained at the Qi Building stage?'
What kind of life has this person lived?
I briefly circle around them, and when I find no openings, I decide to create one and push forward.
Taatt!
The spear touches their Protective Gang Qi.
Paatt!
The monster's hand moves as if they were waiting to grab the spear, but in that brief moment, I swap the spear for the sickle.
The blade of the sickle catches on their arm.
Using the sickle hooked on the monster's arm as leverage, I release my bandages.
Chwararak!
At the same time, I move behind the monster in an instant and bind them with the bandages.
"Pathet...hut!"
Just as the monster tries to break free from the bandages, the spear I retrieve pierces their side.
Of course, being a Qi Building cultivator, their entire body is filled with Protective Gang Qi, so they don't take any damage.
But it's the third time.
The spear has struck their Protective Gang Qi three times.
And through the two previous strikes, I've already discerned the vibration frequency of their refined pure spiritual force through the bandages tied to the spear.
Though Heaven and Earth spiritual energy follows different laws from the material realm, when it enters the body of a cultivator at the Qi Building stage and becomes pure spiritual force, it mixes with the laws of the material realm to some extent.
The frequency that exists only in matter also becomes present in pure spiritual force.
I raise the Howling Resplendent Sword, letting it cry.
Perhaps realizing what I am about to do, the bandaged monster draws upon the energy of the red coral Island to its fullest.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Mountain Echoes Valley Responds!
Ting!
From the Howling Resplendent Sword, a wail-like sword cry erupts.
Sword Energy, in the form of a sword wave, starts to shake the entirety of the pure spiritual force flowing through their spiritual veins.
"Kuaaaaaagh!"
The bandaged monster, writhing in agony, draws even more power from salt coral island.
In an instant,
Paatt!
The salt coral island emits a brilliant light, and a gigantic beam, unlike anything before, shoots toward me.
Seeing that beam, I feel a sense of déjà vu.
'Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade?'
I begin manipulating the bizarre weapons using the Heavenly Silkworm Controlling Ghost Art.
Chwarak, chwarararak!
The bizarre weapons start to rotate around me.
As they spin, they each unleash different techniques.
These are techniques modified from Severing Mountain Swordsmanship to suit each weapon.
In an instant, 22 techniques converge, and I compress the ultimate move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship before letting it erupt.
"Severing!"
Kwadudududk!
Dozens of bizarre weapons shine as they start to split the incoming beam.
"Mountain!"
Dudududuk!
The move of Severing Mountain cleaves the beam apart and heads straight for the bandaged monster, who has exhausted the power of the salt coral island.
Flash!
In an instant, the power of Severing Mountain strikes the bandaged monster, and I swing the Howling Resplendent Sword one last time, opening my mouth.
"Sorry."
For having to kill you.
'I didn't want to kill a disciple of Cheongmun Ryeong...'
Then.
Kwaduduk!
Amidst the swirling light, a hand wrapped in bandages shoots out and grabs my face.
"...Umph!!?"
Chiiiiii—
As the aftermath of Severing Mountain subsides, what I see is the bandaged monster with smoke rising from their entire body.
'H-How!? I resonated the entirety of their pure spiritual force through Mountain Echoes Valley Responds and made it explode. Their spiritual veins should be in ruins...not to mention, that last move was meant to kill!'
That recent move was strong enough to cleave a mountain in half!
And yet, the bandaged monster, a mere Qi Building stage cultivator, hasn't died.
The bandaged monster meets my gaze.
They smirk and say,
"...It was amusing but...what an arrogant name. Severing Mountain? You will split a mountain? Ha, haha, ahahahaha!!!"
They laugh maniacally.
"Go ahead, wave that pathetic toothpick around for a hundred days! Do you really think you can split a mountain with something like that? Maybe you can crush a sandcastle. Change the name. Instead of something like severing a mountain, call it 'Sandcastle Crusher,' or something like that! You! Can! Never! Split a mountain!"
Mocking Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, they tighten their grip on my face.
Like they're about to crush my skull and kill me.
'N-Need to use poison...'
Feeling my mind clouding, I prepare to use the Infinite Fighting Monster Hidden Weapon Technique.
But my mind grows hazy.
At the last moment, I feel my body instinctively use Fighting Monster Hidden Weapon Technique before fainting.
Just before I lose consciousness, I have the strange thought that I see Cheongmun Ryeong.
"Stop... It. Might...die... Heal... Killed people again..."
'Master...'
With the image of Cheongmun Ryeong as my last thought, I completely lose consciousness.
Blink!
The moment I regain consciousness, I feel a wet cloth on my forehead, bandages wrapped around various parts of my body, and the scent of medicine.
"This place is...?"
"Please lie down. Your body hasn't fully recovered yet."
"Huh...?"
A female physician, who seems to have been treating me, comes in with what looks like a medicinal decoction.
But instead of focusing on anything else, I blankly stare at her face.
It's Buk Hyang-hwa.
"Why...are you here...?"
"Pardon? I'm a physician, so I'm here to treat people. What do you mean?"
"No, what I'm saying is..."
It's when I'm flustered.
"I brought her."
At the entrance to the room where I'm lying down, a large person stands leaning against the doorframe, speaking to me.
"You...!"
It's the bandaged monster.
"Master ordered it. He told me to heal you. So, I found someone you adequately need. Just accept the treatment."
"Wait, you..."
"Shut up. I know what you want to say. I, too, want to kill you so badly my hands are itching, but Master personally ordered that you not be killed. You are to participate in the upcoming disciple recruitment test according to Master's command. When you've recovered enough, come out."
Saying only what they want, the bandaged monster leaves the room, and I am left with a dumbfounded expression, sitting in the room with Buk Hyang-hwa.
Inside a manor in Clear River County.
Gazing up at the sky from the rooftop of one of the buildings, Choengmun Ryeong speaks to the bandaged monster who approaches from behind.
"Did you find a good physician?"
"I brought someone he needed."
"Well done. However...didn't I tell you not to kill recklessly?"
"I did not kill recklessly. I am currently expressing my deep gratitude to the marine creatures and sailors that allowed me to use my spells."
"...Huu...Am-ah. What am I to do with you?"
"Please punish this disciple."
"..."
Cheongmun Ryeong glances back at his disciple, 'Gak Am,' and after a sigh, looks back up at the sky.
"...Enough. Reflect on your actions."
"Yes. Thank you for your mercy, Master..."
Gak Am withdraws, retreating from behind Cheongmun Ryeong, while Cheongmun Ryeong mutters quietly to himself.
"...I wonder if the child saved this time can inherit my legacy..."
Hwiiiiii—
Looking up at that Cheongmun Ryeong from below, Gak Am wears an ambiguous expression.
Their eyes seem to hold both affection and contempt.
Translator Notes: The Won Clan in chapter 451 was changed to Yuan Clan.
-x-X-x-
I drink all of the medicinal decoction that Buk Hyang-hwa has given me and then dust myself off as I stand up.
'Meeting that bandaged guy was unexpected...but in the end, everything turned out well.'
I met Cheongmun Ryeong, and I also met Buk Hyang-hwa.
Now, I will become Cheongmun Ryeong's disciple, study under him, and later meet Azure Tiger Saint and Shi Ho as well.
"By the way, may I ask for your name, Miss?"
As I wrap the bandages around my body, I ask Buk Hyang-hwa.
I ask because her name might be different in this world.
"Ah, my name is Baek Ran (白蘭/White Orchid). You can call me Physician Baek."
"Baek Ran...It's a nice name."
For some reason, it feels like a familiar name.
It seems to be her name in this world.
"How much would the treatment fee be?"
"Ah, the person who brought me here has already paid all the treatment fees, so you don't have to pay anything."
"Ah, I see. However, I still want to express my gratitude. If you can let me know where you reside, I'll visit you later to repay the favor."
"You really don't need to but...if you insist, you can come find me at White Lotus Valley in Clear River County."
"Understood, I'll visit you later."
After expressing my thanks to Buk Hyang-hwa...no, to Baek Ran, I leave the room.
'An estate?'
The place I step out into is an estate, and in the large courtyard, dozens of people are sitting cross-legged, engaged in cultivation.
'This place...'
"This estate is rented by Master. You will now participate in the disciple recruitment process, stay in this estate to train in basic spell methods, and remain here until you catch Master's eye. However, if Master declares your elimination, you must leave the estate immediately. Do you agree?"
"I came here intending to become a disciple, so I agree, but..."
I ask the bandaged giant a question.
"What happens if I don't participate in this disciple recruitment?"
Though I intend to participate, I can't help but feel a bit resistant to the giant's proposal, which rubs me the wrong way.
"Then you will have no relation to Master's command anymore, and I will kill you on the spot."
"Ha!"
I look into the giant's eyes and say.
"The way you're speaking...are you perhaps jealous that I might become a disciple of Sir Cheongmun Ryeong? Can the disciple of such a great person be so narrow-minded?"
"They can be."
"What?"
"As long as you follow Master's will, it doesn't matter how petty, narrow-minded, dirty, or disgraceful you are in all other things in the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds."
"What does that...?"
"If it's that person's command, I can even pull out my own neck right now. If it's that person's command, I stand here ready to accept any command no matter how irrational or unreasonable it is. I stand here with the resolve to accept nothing but that person's commands in my heart, rejecting everything else in the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds. But what about you? Do you have that kind of resolve?"
"..."
"To receive someone's teachings, to serve someone as your master...means having at least that much resolve. If you don't have that kind of resolve, get lost immediately. I said I would kill you out of anger just moments ago, but if you walk out on your own right now, I won't kill you."
I briefly lock eyes with the bandaged monster.
The eyes flickering with a strange madness flickering.
I see a familiar figure in those eyes.
It's me.
That madness is not just filled with insanity and malice.
There is boundless respect, reverence, and an unwavering loyalty towards their master.
Beyond that, I recall the past when I bowed ten times before Cheongmun Ryeong before dying.
Then, with a serious expression, I speak.
"...Do you think I would have come to serve him without that kind of resolve?"
"..."
"Even if I die, I came here with the resolve to bow before him and then die. Don't test me by your own standards."
At my words, the bandaged monster looks at me in silence for a moment, then turns around.
"...Follow me. I will take you to Master."
I follow the bandaged monster.
Before long, I meet Cheongmun Ryeong.
"Are you the child who fought with my disciple?"
"I'm ashamed but it's true. I apologize for causing trouble."
"It's fine. As long as you've understood now, it's alright. My method of recruiting disciples is simple. Starting today, I will teach you a basic cultivation method. If you cultivate diligently, I will observe your progress and decide whether to accept you as my disciple."
"Yes. Whatever you give me, I will cultivate earnestly."
"Good. Then, take this."
I receive a basic cultivation manual from Cheongmun Ryeong.
The method doesn't have a title; it's just a simple method manual for accumulating spiritual power.
"This is..."
'Incredible...!'
After quickly skimming through the manual, I grasp its essence relying on my previous experience of reaching the Grand Perfection Integration stage.
'It's trash...'
I'm not joking; it's genuinely the most worthless cultivation method I've ever seen.
'How is this slower at accumulating spiritual power than the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation, which is supposed to be the most basic method? No...the method is deliberately designed to build spiritual power slowly.'
That's right.
This method isn't aimed at accumulating spiritual power even a day faster like typical cultivation methods. Rather, it seems like it's designed to make the process as slow as possible.
'In a world where Heaven and Earth spiritual energy is already sparse, practicing this method...even a Heavenly Spiritual Root would need a hundred years just to reach the 1st star of Qi Refining.'
Though I'm a bit taken aback, I bow my head to Cheongmun Ryeong nonetheless.
"Thank you for your grace, as vast as the sea."
"Good. Right, and...my disciple Gak Am may give you and the other disciple candidates some chores at times. You must also perform those diligently."
"Yes, I will carry them out wholeheartedly."
"Then you may go."
"Yes, I won't disappoint you."
After bowing to Cheongmun Ryeong, I set out to find a place to train in this nameless cultivation method.
That's when it happens.
"Right, I forgot. Take this."
"Pardon?"
Cheongmun Ryeong hands me a single plum.
"I've infused this fruit with a special harmony. Always keep this in your mouth. It will aid in your cultivation."
"Ah, yes..."
I inspect the plum after receiving it.
I don't feel any particular spiritual power wave from it.
Although he claims it's imbued with a special harmony, it feels like an ordinary plum.
For a moment, I wonder if he's playing a joke on me, but since it's something given by Cheongmun Ryeong, I trust there's a reason and put it in my mouth.
'He didn't say to eat it, just to keep it in my mouth, right?'
I don't swallow the plum but hold it in one side of my mouth. After bowing to Cheongmun Ryeong, I leave and head towards the inner courtyard I saw earlier in the estate.
There, many of the disciple candidates participating in Cheongmun Ryeong's recruitment test are sitting cross-legged, seemingly practicing the nameless cultivation method.
I sit between them and begin practicing the nameless method myself.
Then it happens.
"Hey, you. Newbie. If you just arrived, shouldn't you greet your seniors first?"
A robust giant and some well-dressed young masters approach me, crossing their arms as they speak.
Careful not to spit out the plum, I respond.
"...Elder Cheongmun Ryeong instructed me to focus on cultivating the method so..."
"Hah! If you don't greet us, it doesn't matter what cultivation method or whatever—"
Piiit!
Without saying another word, I draw my sword from my robe and swing it towards the sky.
There's no sound.
But the result is clear.
Jjeok!
The cloud passing through the sky is split in two.
"Stop talking to me and go practice your cultivation method properly if you want to become a disciple of Elder Cheongmun Ryeong."
"Yes, yes, elder..."
They shrink back as they look at me, quickly scurrying away to a further place.
'Now, this method...'
However, just as I'm about to sit down and start cultivating, other candidates begin bothering me.
"A-Amazing, Hyung-nim!"
"What divine power was that just now? Could you perhaps teach me a bit...?"
"To silence that gang in one stroke, you're like a hero!"
"If I don't become teacher Salt Sea Master's disciple, could I become big bro's disciple..."
"Hehe, Orabeoni (traditional formal term for older brother). Let's get along. My name is Yuan Li..."
"Splitting Cloud Master! Since you split the cloud in two, I'll call you teacher Splitting Cloud Master...!"
Though there's something that bothered me in the middle, I ignore the annoying ones and begin operating the nameless cultivation method.
Several days pass.
'Spiritual power isn't accumulating.'
Well, it is accumulating.
However, compared to the energy in a single low-grade spirit stone, only about 1 in 10 nayota has been gathered.
[TL/N: Nayota is an extremely large number in Buddhism. Some sources define it as 10 million, while some as 100 billion.]
Still, there's no need to rush.
I continue to operate the nameless method tirelessly, day and night, for several days.
'It'll work eventually.'
As long as I keep endlessly trying and trying, I'll eventually succeed.
That's a truth I've realized after repeating my regressions countless times.
"Hey, work time. You, you, and you. Get up and follow me."
The bandaged monster.
Salt Sea Master Cheongmun Ryeong's only disciple, the person called Gak Am, calls out to me and a few others.
The turn to do the 'chores' Gak Am assigns has come to me.
Our chores involve either cooking porridge or chopping wood to distribute to the slums.
"You go chop the wood. You move the grains from that warehouse. And you..."
Gak Am looks at me and says.
"Take the wood this guy chops and burn it into charcoal."
"Charcoal?"
"Do you not know what charcoal is? Don't ask questions like an idiot and move quickly!"
"...Understood."
Suddenly, I find myself in the role of a charcoal maker again.
Of course, I'm not the only one. A few others are also assigned to the charcoal-making task.
Together with my fellow charcoal-makers, I carry the wood and begin burning to make charcoal.
And as we work, I notice the other fellows taking the plums out of their mouths.
"Wait, aren't we not supposed to take those out of our mouths?"
Cheongmun Ryeong's plum doesn't seem to contain any spiritual energy, but I don't know what's up with it. Even after several days of keeping it in my mouth, it hasn't spoiled.
It seems like it's been harmonized with some law of this world that I'm not familiar with.
In any case, I'm surprised to see them taking out the plums and ask them, but they look at me with an expression saying 'So what?' and question me back.
"What are you talking about, Hyung-nim? Doesn't what Sir Salt Sea Master said just mean to carry the plum with us?"
"That's right, Hyung-nim. How could anyone keep a plum in their mouth all the time? It'd be uncomfortable when you sleep."
"And what if it rots while keeping it in your mouth?"
At their words, I ask with confusion.
"...It rots?"
"Pardon? Isn't it obvious? It's sitting in your mouth for so long, soaked in saliva... When I took it out the day after receiving it from Sir Cheongmun Ryeong, I found it had already rotted."
'What? The one in my mouth is still fine.'
It's more than just fine.
It's as fresh as if it was picked just moments ago.
So why did theirs rot instantly while mine is still fresh?
Wondering about this, I continue to burn charcoal.
A month passes.
I stay in touch with my comrades staying nearby through letters and continue my cultivation.
And gradually, I begin to notice something.
'I'm losing strength.'
The more I practice the nameless cultivation method, the more my body loses physical strength and grows weaker.
In the past, with one sexagenary cycle of internal energy, I could easily lift an entire house. But these days, let alone a brick, even lifting a spoon is too much of a struggle.
'If it wasn't Cheongmun Ryeong, I'd think I was under some kind of curse.'
I look at my arm.
The more I practice the nameless method, the more my body withers away.
Just a month ago, my body was fairly robust, but now I've become almost as thin as a scarecrow.
'...But my heart is becoming clearer.'
Spiritual power does not increase, and only my body continues to worsen.
However, the more I cultivate inside Cheongmun Ryeong's estate, the more my heart gradually becomes at peace, my mind clears, and the feeling of worry vanishes.
As I hold the plum in my mouth, I extinguish the lamp in my assigned room and think to myself.
'What kind of harmony is infused in this plum?'
Before long, many of the other disciple candidates have been eliminated, leaving only me and three or four others in the estate.
Among them, none seem to understand why they haven't been eliminated yet.
However, I think I understand the condition under which Cheongmun Ryeong decides whether to send away or retain disciples.
'Is it the plum?'
Only those who have kept the plum that Cheongmun Ryeong gave us in their mouths from the beginning until now have remained.
Surprisingly, many had taken the plum, which Cheongmun Ryeong had handed over casually, in and out of their mouths to taste it, which resulted in them being dismissed.
'But the others will soon realize as well.'
There are four of us left, including myself.
'But I heard that Cheongmun Ryeong's trials are so harsh that none have passed except that Gak Am...is this really the end?'
It's when I'm pondering this.
"Everyone, come out!"
Gak Am shouts as they drag us out of the room.
"Now that all the others who used to handle the chores are gone, from now on, you lot will have to handle all the chores that everyone used to do! Understand?"
At those words, the faces of the remaining three, excluding myself, turn deathly pale.
Gak Am continues.
"And Master has given one piece of advice for you remaining brats! Listen carefully!"
Cheongmun Ryeong's message is as follows:
"'Thank you for enduring well. But from now on, many more chores await you. Whenever that happens. remember the plum that you have in your mouth. When it's hot or when you're thirsty, when you're exhausted or when you're hungry, think of the plum I gave you and gather your strength'...that's all!"
The others seem bewildered.
I too am a little puzzled, but I interpret Cheongmun Ryeong's message in my own way.
'This plum is a fruit Cheongmun Ryeong imbued with a harmony for us.'
To remember the plum is to remember Cheongmun Ryeong's grace.
'Let's draw strength by recalling the master's grace.'
The other candidates have grim expressions.
Their physical conditions have become similar to mine.
And so, we fall into the endless hell of chores.
Another month passes.
Scrapescrapescrapescrape...
The remaining disciple candidates are now only me and one other person.
We are currently in the kitchen, peeling potatoes.
Our appearances are now no different from that of skeletons.
'Even holding the potato peeler is difficult.'
My body is utterly drained of energy.
Honestly, even I don't understand how I'm still moving.
'There's not a single bit of energy left in my body... In this condition, dying is only natural, but just what strength is keeping me moving?'
I roll the plum inside my mouth with my tongue as I ponder.
'...Is it the plum?'
As Gak Am had conveyed, every time I lick the plum and think of Cheongmun Ryeong, my body somehow continues to move.
'There's clearly no energy, no soul that I can sense...it's an astonishing harmony.'
Admiring the harmony that Cheongmun Ryeong infused, I continue to peel the potatoes with my skeleton-like hands, filled with gratitude for his grace.
At that moment.
"Kehoek, ptui!"
The woman across from me spits out the plum and stands up abruptly.
"Fuck this! I can't take it anymore! If I stay like this, I'll die!"
The plum she spat out is rotten.
"I finally understand! Cheongmun Ryeong is a fraud! How can he make people keep a rotten plum in their mouths for months, make them learn a method that makes their body weird, and still not accept a disciple! I, I need to get out of here! O-Orabeoni, let's leave too, shall we?"
"...Go by yourself."
I don't even look at her and continue peeling the potato.
"Hng, damn it! What good will come from cultivating under this fraud!! Look at this! My beauty, my nearly perfect face has been ruined after coming here! I, I'm leaving. Damn it, you stay here and let this fraud work you to death for all I care!"
After thoroughly cursing Cheongmun Ryeong in front of me, she changes out of her work clothes into her red outfit and flees from the estate.
Judging from how she called me Orabeoni, it seems she was one of those who acted coquettishly to me on the first day but...
'No determination. Or rather...no respect?'
I had occasionally seen the plum in her mouth while she ate and drank, so I know.
'The plum was always fresh.'
It rotted the moment she spat it out.
'Cheongmun Ryeong's harmony is real. He won't let us die.'
I hold this unwavering faith in him in my heart and continue to work silently and diligently.
A while later, Gak Am comes to me.
"...When will the test end?"
I ask them.
Since I'm the only one left now, I think it's about time for the final trial to begin, so I ask him.
They smirk and respond.
"How can a firefly know the thoughts of the sun? That person will decide, so just do your task."
Gak Am dumps ten more baskets of potatoes in front of me and leaves.
I silently continue peeling the potatoes.
Four more months pass.
'What...am I?'
I think this as I watch my fingernails fall off from my hands.
Now, my body has moved beyond exhaustion, nearing the state of a corpse.
'How am I still alive?'
Carrying a broom that feels as heavy as a thousand pounds, I wonder as I clean the estate.
Recently, I lost my appetite.
So, I stopped eating food.
At some point, I even stopped drinking water.
It's probably been about a month since then.
I'm not surviving through internal energy or any other form of power.
'The internal energy that once amounted to an entire sixty-year cycle...has completely dried up.'
There's no energy left inside my body.
And yet, I am still alive.
I briefly stare at my body, dried up and shriveled like a tree stump, and take a deep breath.
'I don't know...but what's certain is...'
I came here seeking to become Cheongmun Ryeong's disciple.
I remember the grace I received from him.
I remember the time I spent with him.
I remember the bow I offered to him.
I think of my own disciples.
I sacrificed my life for them.
'That...is what the relationship between a master and disciple is like.'
A relationship where one can sacrifice their life for the other.
The relationship between a master and a disciple is like that of a parent and child.
That's why, in the word Sabu (사부/師父), another title used to address a master, the character Bu (父) meaning father is included.
But the Cheongmun Ryeong to whom I once bowed has vanished beyond the timeline.
The one here now is a 'different' Cheongmun Ryeong.
And yet...
Even so, I chased after his traces and came all the way here, seeking to establish a disciple-master relationship once again.
'Why?'
I ask myself.
'Why, even though he's a different person, am I trying to form this connection?'
This is a question I've asked myself countless times.
It's a question I've answered in my own way many times, yet I find myself asking it again and again.
Perhaps it's because it's that important.
'Because the name is the same? Because the appearance is the same? Or, because despite the regression, the soul remains the same?'
No matter what answer I come up with, it feels lacking.
I grit my teeth.
Why is it?
Why am I so obsessed with this relationship with him?
No, it's not just Cheongmun Ryeong.
'It's the same with Buk Hyang-hwa. The same with Kim Yeon...'
I know it too.
I am obsessed with connections.
Sometimes, to the point where it feels excessive.
And the result of that obsession is precisely the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
'Why do I obsess so much?'
I begin to question the very existence of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
'The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is something that manifests my connections.'
And in order to reach Void Shattering, one must sever obsessions and manifest the Void.
Yet, I embraced all the connections within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections and overlapped them to create impermanence.
Someone's words flicker through my mind.
—The heart is essentially death.
Countless topics flash through my head.
Then, I snap back to my senses.
"Hah...!"
I suddenly recalled the moment when countless followers were annihilated.
And I saw the owner of the colossal mountain that appeared as if it were crushing the entire universe.
Great Mountain!
It was Great Mountain!
"Heok!"
But as I regained my senses, the one standing before me was Gak Am.
Gak Am is looking down at me, holding a whip.
'I must have seen an illusion with my body being in the state of a corpse.'
"...What?"
"You lazy bastard! How dare you slack off!? This is the task Master assigned through me! Stop slacking and do it properly!"
They begin to whip me.
With my body completely drained of energy, and my state being no different from that of a corpse, I can't resist Gak Am, who could overpower me even when I was at my peak.
My skin tears.
An intense pain overwhelms my mind, but not a single drop of blood comes out.
It seems my body is no longer in a normal state.
I look up at Gak Am.
The eyes are the windows to the heart.
For some reason, I feel like I can understand Gak Am's emotions.
'They're angry.'
It's not just anger.
It's anger mixed with fear.
They are afraid that I will become Salt Sea Master's disciple.
'I see... Am I almost there...?'
But why, I wonder.
Even though I know the trial of Cheongmun Ryeong is nearing its end, I don't feel particularly happy.
'Right now, it feels...more important to rid my heart of its burdens.'
It's strange.
Strangely, my heart feels peaceful and clear.
It's a completely different dimension from simply having my consciousness domain purified and seeing the world more clearly.
It feels as if an unknown super-perception has fallen into my hands.
After whipping me for a while, Gak Am sighs and turns their back.
"You stubborn, foolish idiot. Are you not afraid of death?"
"...More than death..."
I slowly open my mouth.
"I'm afraid...of just dying."
For some reason, I speak formally.
Why is that?
I usually hate them, but right now, I feel like I must be respectful.
"Just dying?"
"Yes. Dying without being able to do anything..."
The emotions I felt during my first death.
At that time...
I thought it was sadness.
I thought it was the sorrow and loneliness of dying miserably in this world without achieving anything.
But now that I think about it, it wasn't sorrow or misery.
It was frustration.
[TL/N: Frustration from unfairness.]
Despite having time from morning to evening...
I just died, without being able to know anything.
That's what frustrated me.
"Not being able...to do anything...not being remembered...not being able to remember... Dying like that is what I'm afraid of."
"Then are you not afraid now? I could kill you with just a flick."
"I'm not afraid."
"Why not?"
"Because...this time..."
I smile warmly.
"I've realized the Dao."
Someone once asked me.
What is my Dao?
I answered them.
The Causes and Connections of All Phenomena.
Yes...
My Dao is Myriad Forms and Connections.
Just by meeting someone, remembering their grace, being remembered by someone, and doing something together with them... Unlike that time when I died in loneliness, I am now so incredibly happy.
I have realized my Dao.
My Dao is Myriad Forms and Connections.
Myriad Forms and Connections refers to the heart that is given and received with the countless connections.
—Heart is essentially death.
I finally understand the true meaning of what 'someone' once told me.
Why does the heart become colorless at the very end?
That is...
When the heart is completed through the exchanges with connections, one realizes the Dao. To realize the Dao means that even if one dies and becomes nothingness, there's no problem, so it becomes colorless.
To summarize in three sentences,
Why do I obsess with connections, and what does it mean that the heart is essentially death?
Connections are essentially the exchange of hearts, and realizing this is the same as realizing the Dao.
Thus, 'If I attain the Dao in the morning, I am content with death in the evening' means that if one enjoyed life within these connections, one can also accept death with dignity.
"A person's life is essentially the giving and receiving of hearts... Since everyone's hearts are already within me, I am not afraid of death."
I finally understand how I am moving, despite being in a state akin to a corpse.
It's not because of something like the plum.
I am no longer afraid of death.
Because I have confirmed that even if I die, the heart I have built remains.
That is why, even though death is hovering over me, I am still alive and continue to move.
"This is it, isn't it?"
Not fearing death and realizing that the strength moving my body is the heart.
"Isn't this the final gateway that everyone must pass through to become his disciple?"
I ask Gak Am, who has turned their back to me.
Gak Am says nothing but suddenly turns around and lashes their whip at me.
Chwak, chwak!
I calmly take a few strikes from their whip.
They glare at me and say,
"I have not acknowledged you. Do not call me senior brother. Understood? And..."
They grip the hand holding the whip tightly.
"My name is not Gak Am."
"What is it?"
"The name Gak Am is just a phonetic borrowing of my real name. My name is actually गा ॐ."
"What does it mean?"
"I don't know either. My mother just picked up some words from around a temple and slapped them together into a half-hearted name. No meaning, no grammar—just a trash name. It has no meaning at all. But regardless, call me that."
"Hmm, the pronunciation is tricky. Gak Am? Ga Am? Ga Om?"
I try pronouncing their name, eventually finding a version that feels adequately comfortable to say.
"From now on, I'll call you 'Gwak Am,' Senior Brother."
I bow to 'Gwak Am,' and they glare at me before walking off.
"Don't call me senior brother. I'm not your senior brother."
They disappear from my sight.
I turn around.
There stands Cheongmun Ryeong.
"Do you know why you haven't died?"
"Because there are countless hearts dwelling within me."
"Do you know why you can move, despite having a body that's no different from a deceased?"
"Because I no longer fear death."
He looks at me and smiles slightly.
"Congratulations on passing the test, disciple."
Without a word, I bow to Cheongmun Ryeong ten times.
Thus, after many lives, I once again become a disciple of Cheongmun Ryeong.
"And, congratulations on entering the basics of Immortal Arts, disciple."
"...Pardon?"
"Without using any energy, soul power, or spiritual power, you twisted the principles of the world with only your heart. Truly accepting death and using that to reshape the world. That...is what we call Immortal Arts."
"...So me not dying...was Immortal Arts?"
"In a sense, yes. With the power of your heart, you briefly unfolded Immortal Arts. From now on, you will truly learn about the Immortal Path's divine powers, Immortal Arts, from me."
Just like that, on that day my connection with Cheongmun Ryeong was reestablished,
I entered the path of Immortal Arts.
-x-X-x-
'Immortal Arts?'
I am taken aback by Cheongmun Ryeong's words.
And at that moment—
Tuk, tuk—
Cheongmun Ryeong taps my back.
"...!"
I am startled.
'My body...'
Chiii—
In an instant, color returns to my skin, and my flesh begins to regenerate.
At the same time, strength surges, and the dried-up internal energy in my dantian starts to fill again.
"This, this is..."
It's not some kind of healing spell.
No, there isn't even the slightest movement of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.
And yet, my body recovered in an instant.
An event completely incomprehensible by the usual knowledge of spellcraft!!
On top of that, the flesh torn from Gwak Am's whip, and the ruined body from the chores forced on me begin to heal, becoming stronger and more resilient.
This isn't just about pushing my body to the limit and then 'training' it through recovery. It's as if the fundamental constitution of the human known as Seo Eun-hyun has been entirely transformed.
Wududuk...
'I haven't undergone complete transformation, but my physical strength has increased three or fourfold. Did my genes get altered...?'
I look up at Cheongmun Ryeong in bewilderment, and he turns away with a gentle expression.
"Well then, follow me. From today, you must train diligently."
"Wait, Elder Cheongmun Ryeong! No, Master!"
Before I begin training with him, I bow deeply and shout,
"One of my close friends has recently been experiencing mental instability, seeing illusions and hallucinations every night. Please, I beg Master, have pity on her and help heal her mind!"
Cheongmun Ryeong nods and says,
"If that's the extent of it, I don't need to personally go. Go with Am-ah. Am-ah"
"Yes, Master."
"Go and help Seo Eun-hyun's companion stabilize and return."
"Yes."
Gwak Am kicks my back lightly and says,
"Lead the way. Since it's the Master's command, I'll help as much as I can."
"..."
Though I don't like this brute, they at least listen to Cheongmun Ryeong, so I head with them to where Seo Ran is staying.
"Ah, ahhhk! Aaaahhhk!"
When we arrive at the inn where Seo Ran resides, her groans can be heard even from outside the room.
"Ah! Eun-hyun, you're here?"
Kim Young-hoon opens the door for me, looking relieved.
Inside the room, Jeon Myeong-hoon and Oh Hyun-seok are restraining Seo Ran, while Kim Yeon is trying to calm her down in any way possible.
I look at Gwak Am and ask,
"Senior Brother Gwak Am, can you treat her?"
"...Don't talk to me, dog bastard."
Gwak Am, annoyed at having to speak to me, strides over to Seo Ran and looks down at her.
After observing her for a while, Gwak Am smirks.
"This one quite...looks good to eat."
"...!"
I barely manage to suppress the killing intent rising inside me as I glare at Gwak Am.
"If you harm her, even if you are my senior brother, I won't let it slide."
"I told you not to call me senior brother. Besides, with Master's command, I won't do anything bad. Don't worry. And you lot."
Gwak Am looks around at my comrades and says,
"I'll stabilize this one, so each of you come and hold her limbs tightly."
My comrades look at me with confusion, and I nod.
"This is the disciple of Salt Sea Master Cheongmun Ryeong, and the one who became my senior brother this time, Gwak Am. They're going to treat Seo Ran, so let's trust them."
Following my words, my comrades each hold down Seo Ran's limbs, securing her to the bed.
Gwak Am watches for a moment, then raises their hand.
In the next instant, Gwak Am's palm slams down onto Seo Ran's abdomen.
Kwang!
The entire inn shakes.
"Kuhwek!"
Blood bursts from Seo Ran's mouth.
'The internal organs have ruptured!'
I nearly lose my mind but barely hold back and ask,
"...What is this?"
"I treated her."
"...Treated her?"
"Yeah. After observing her carefully, I found a lot of filth inside her head. I gave her a shock treatment to stop those unnecessary thoughts. With Immortal Arts, I've solidified her soul, so she won't be seeing any strange hallucinations for the rest of this life."
"...Thank you very much."
Though I trust them because they said Immortal Art, I grit my teeth as I look at Seo Ran, who looks like she might not survive this life at any moment.
Gwak Am turns and walks out of the room, saying,
"Her internal organs are slightly ruptured. I was only instructed to treat her mind, so internal injuries aren't my concern but...since that one seems interesting, I'll give you some advice. The best physician nearby for internal injuries is the one who treated you last time."
'Buk Hyang-hwa...'
I clench my teeth and bow my head.
"...Thank you for the advice."
With that, Gwak Am leaves the inn, and Kim Young-hoon draws his sword.
"That crazy bastard...Eun-hyun, don't stop me. I'm going to see some blood today."
"...Please stay calm. They're a monster; you won't be able to defeat them. And more importantly..."
It's a strange feeling.
Though they clearly pushed Seo Ran to the brink of death with malicious intent, at the same time, it feels like Gwak Am is helping gather my comrades together.
"...The physician they mentioned is indeed skilled. Hyung-nim, please take Seo Ran to White Lotus Valley in Clear River County and find a physician named 'Baek Ran'."
"...Fine."
Kim Young-hoon glares at the door Gwak Am left through, then lifts Seo Ran onto his back and disappears in an instant using lightness technique.
The fastest among us is Kim Young-hoon, so Seo Ran will reach her destination in time.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, Hyun-seok Hyung-nim, and Yeon as well. Please head to White Lotus Valley for now and take care of Seo Ran."
After sending my comrades off, I leave the inn and head to Cheongmun Ryeong's estate.
'I want to check on Seo Ran's condition more, but...'
It seems like Cheongmun Ryeong is calling for me.
Though my thoughts are towards Seo Ran, my feet lead me towards Cheongmun Ryeong. It seems to be some kind of Immortal Art.
Clack!
It's when I open the door to the estate Cheongmun Ryeong resides,
"...Great Grasslands?"
I step beyond the door and look around.
What was the estate just a moment ago has transformed into the Northern Great Grasslands.
I quickly turn back, but the door has disappeared, and beyond the grasslands, a solitary tree stands tall.
At the top of that tree, Cheongmun Ryeong sits cross-legged, his eyes closed.
Amazingly, he isn't using any spells or martial arts, yet he doesn't fall from the small branch atop the tree.
"Have you come?"
"Yes, Master. But I wanted to check on my friend's condition. Why did you call me so urgently?"
"I know Am's nature well. But that child never takes my orders lightly, so your friend will surely be treated."
"...I understand."
"More important than that is for you to learn Immortal Arts even a day faster."
"...?"
Why is that?
For some reason, I get the feeling that Cheongmun Ryeong is feeling a bit impatient.
"I understand. Please teach this disciple, Master."
I bow my head to Cheongmun Ryeong, and thus, his teaching begins.
"First, what do you think Immortal Arts are?"
'Immortal arts...'
At his question, I recall the explanations from Seo Hweol and Yang Su-jin.
'A method that influences the Plane of Fate...'
Fate is essentially the heavens, so in other words...
"Is it not a spell that twists the principles of the heavens?"
"Correct. Then let me ask you, what does it mean to twist the principles of the heavens?"
"That is...as Master said before, not fearing death, and changing the heavens through one's heart?"
"Indeed. And you've recently endured my trial and entered that realm. Then let me ask you this. How can the heart of a mere person change the heavens?"
"Hm...!"
The heart of a mere person, he says.
'What an interesting remark.'
I didn't expect those words to come from his mouth.
But as I listen, I realize he's right.
'That's true. With just one person's heart, changing the laws of the heavens, of this world, is ridiculous.'
However, as I ponder more deeply, one thought crosses my mind.
'A single person's heart? Then...'
At the same time, I recall the Mad Lord's Immortal Art, Yeon's Play.
A secret art that uses tens of trillions of artificial souls to manipulate the attraction force of fate to pull the spacetime of history.
And I remember Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
A secret art that floods the world with the presence of 'Seo Hweol,' turning the entire world into one dominated solely by Seo Hweol.
"...If it's not just one person's heart, but the hearts of many, couldn't that change the heavens?"
"Exactly! It seems you've seen something similar before?"
"Yes, I've seen something similar."
"Then it'll be easier to explain. Listen closely. A single person's heart cannot change the heavens. But...with the hearts of many, the heavens can be changed. However, isn't it strange? Why were you able to enter the basics of Immortal Arts and stave off death, even though you don't possess the hearts of many?"
I ponder deeply over his question before answering.
It's an answer I can give because I've entered the realm of Void Shattering, seen the Plane of Soul with my own eyes, experienced many lives, and repentantly enlightened myself.
"Is it because a person's heart is not made up of just their own heart?"
Cheongmun Ryeong smiles faintly.
"That's correct."
Taatt!
He descends from the top of the tree and begins to explain.
"A person's heart doesn't reside in the lump of flesh in their chest and neither is it confined in some spiritual body. Have you ever had this thought? What is the fastest thing in this world?"
"Yes, I used to think about that a lot as a child."
"Then do you know the answer?"
"Many people say it's 'thought'."
Because thoughts can travel anywhere in the universe.
"That's right. To be precise, it's the thought and heart. They're as inseparable as the palm and the back of the hand, so either answer is correct. Now let me ask you this. Why is it that the heart can go anywhere in the world?"
"Hmm...I'm not sure."
The heart, as I understand it, can 'simply' go anywhere in the universe.
Being asked 'why' about this leaves me a bit perplexed.
Then Cheongmun Ryeong very easily provides the answer.
"That's because the heart of a being isn't bound within this body but is spread out across the entirety of all phenomena in the universe."
"That's...ah!"
I fail to understand for a moment, but then I recall the image of the Plane of Soul and understand immediately.
'I see...'
Why does the Plane of Soul take the form of clouds?
Before, I used to think that each cloud particle in the Plane of Soul was a being's heart.
But each particle gathers to form a cloud, and forms things like the collective unconscious.
And the moment the 'grains' become 'clouds'—
It has already become a single mass.
If the Plane of Soul is ultimately filled with clouds, and if the hearts of all beings in this world are connected in the form of clouds...
'It means the world and I are connected.'
It's a somewhat obvious realization, but it settles deep with my chest.
"Have you understood?"
"To some extent, yes."
"Good. In that case, let's try Immortal Arts right away."
"Pardon?"
"You've already grasped the basics of Immortal Arts. Clearing the heart and understanding the power of the heart through the exchange of hearts. Those are the basics of Immortal Arts. Now, using that power of the heart, try reflecting your heart into the world."
"That, that's..."
"Come, don't worry. Let's go beyond the basics and start with an Immortal Art for training. The effect of this Immortal Art is to reflect your heart in six different forms into the world. I'll teach you the formula."
Without further explanation, Cheongmun Ryeong closes his eyes and places his hands together.
'Immortal Arts all of a sudden?'
I start to feel nervous, thinking of the terrifying Immortal Arts like the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique, Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, and Yeon's Play.
'Will I be able to learn it properly?'
And at that moment.
Urung, ururung!
Dark clouds begin to gather in the sky.
At the same time, Cheongmun Ryeong opens his eyes wide.
"Rain (雨)."
Shwaaaaa!
Rain begins to pour down.
Cheongmun Ryeong and I stand in the grasslands, getting soaked by the rain.
"This is the first form of the 'primal' heart. Just like a newborn baby crying. Feel it."
Following Cheongmun Ryeong's words, I try to feel the sound of the falling rain and the dark clouds covering the sky.
"The next is Sunlight (陽)."
Shwaaaaa...
The clouds that had filled the sky slowly recede.
The sky becomes clear.
"This is the second form. The clarity (陽) a baby begins to perceive in the world when they first open their eyes. Feel it."
I close my eyes and feel the 'clarity (陽)'.
"The next is Heat (燠)."
It grows warm.
"This is the third form of the primal heart. It's like a baby being held in the arms of their parents or guardian. Next is Cold (寒)."
Hwiiiiii!
It becomes cold.
Snowflakes begin to scatter.
"The fourth form of the primal heart. It's the 'anxiety,' 'loneliness,' 'fear,' and 'panic' a child feels when they leave their parents' embrace. The next is Wind (風)."
Hwiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
A strong wind sweeps across the grassland.
"This is wind. Wind changes the world. As the child grows, they begin to feel that their perception of the world is changing. And the last one..."
"The last is Time (時), isn't it?"
"Haha, that's right."
Cheongmun Ryeong's explanation continues.
"Rain, Sunlight, Heat, Cold, Wind. These five attributes continuously revolve and act in turn. The totality of these changes is called Time (時)... These are the six primal forms of the heart."
Paaaatt!
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
In between, countless changes in phenomena occur.
It rains, clears, becomes hot, cold, the wind blows...
Cheongmun Ryeong isn't speeding up time.
He's simply distorting our perception of time for a moment.
Finally, the wind dies down.
I take a moment to organize my enlightenment.
And at last, I understand.
"...I have one question."
"Ask."
"The cultivation we practice, the reason it's called 'Immortal Cultivation (修仙)'—is it because Immortal Cultivation itself is about learning Immortal Arts?"
Rain, Sunlight, Heat, Cold, Wind, Time.
The six divine powers that are realized during the Integration stage.
I didn't understand them when I first learned the divine powers, but after this conversation with Cheongmun Ryeong, I finally grasp it.
From the Qi Refining stage to the Heavenly Being stage, one accumulates spiritual power and studies 'how to clear the heart.'
Up to this is the Minor Boundary.
Then from the Four-Axis stage to the Entering Nirvana stage.
In the Four-Axis stage, one practices the Axes Foundation, bestows blessings upon those in the Lower Realms to gain the Five Blessings, 'exchanges hearts to understand the power of the heart,' and through the Six Extremes, one indirectly experiences death, learning not to fear it, thus 'entering the basics of Immortal Arts.'
After that, in the Integration stage, starting with the primal forms of the heart—Rain, Sunlight, Heat, Cold, Wind, and Time—one gradually 'begins to learn Immortal Arts' up to the Entering Nirvana stage. This is the Middle Boundary.
'The formulas that exist from the Qi Refining stage to the Entering Nirvana stage...I don't know if there are formulas after entering True Immortality, but perhaps...those weren't just formulas, but the basic forms of Immortal Arts.'
Cheongmun Ryeong smiles warmly as he speaks.
"It's similar, but a little different."
"Pardon?"
"Immortal Cultivation isn't the process of learning Immortal Arts. Immortal Cultivation itself is...someone's Immortal Art."
"...Is that so?"
He continues.
"You're familiar with the typical cultivation realm system. Qi Refining, Qi Building, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Heavenly Being... But in very ancient times...so ancient that it surpasses imagination, such a complex realm system didn't exist."
"Pardon?"
"There were only three realms. 'The realm of clearing the heart,' 'the realm of laying the basics of Immortal Arts through the heart,' and 'the realm of fully using Immortal Arts and reaching the heavens'."
It seems that these correspond to the Minor Boundary, Middle Boundary, and Great Boundary.
"But later, the realms began to divide. As the realms split, many began gaining powerful authorities. However...the precise division of stages within the cultivation realms was meant to study the heart more systematically, not to attain world-encompassing power or become monsters capable of destroying stars."
He gazes up at the distant sky.
For some reason, he's glaring at the sky as if it displeases him.
"But [someone] twisted 'the process of cultivation' through an Immortal Art called 'Immortal Cultivation.' As a result, all living beings began gathering Qi, aligning it with the process of cultivation, and gradually acquired excessive lifespans and overwhelming power and authority. The purpose of living beings shifted from understanding the heart to craving power. Everyone became capable of wielding immense power, but...whether that was the right thing, I cannot say..."
"...Master?"
I ask, sensing that something is wrong with Cheongmun Ryeong's condition.
For some reason, his eyes don't seem normal.
At my call, Cheongmun Ryeong looks at the sky for a moment, then shudders slightly.
"Hmm...! It seems my memory slipped again for a moment..."
He speaks with a bitter smile.
"Recently, this has been happening more often. My body is starting to reach its limits. That's why I called you urgently."
He continues speaking, as if he doesn't remember what he just said.
"Where was I...? Had I finished explaining about Rain, Sunlight, Heat, Cold, Wind, and Time? Since I've told you the basics of Immortal Arts, let's now begin proper training in Immortal Arts."
"...Understood."
Thus, I learn four types of Basic Immortal Arts from Cheongmun Ryeong.
The first is the six primal forms of the heart, connected to the Integration stage formulas.
Next are the five actions and two aspects that arise from the function of the heart, making a total of seven acts.
The third is a total of eight spells born from the five senses and three attitudes of the heart.
The last is how to command the nine powers by adding a single will to the eight spells.
In this way, I learn many things from him.
And so, 80 years pass by quickly.
-x-X-x-