Chương 25: Chapter 24: Refining (3)
A new world appears before my eyes.
Though I haven't fully entered that world yet, I sense that once I do, everything will change drastically.
The purple thread.
Familiarizing myself with the direction this new path points to, I recall the formula of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts'.
Up to now, I memorized the formula but couldn't understand a single word.
That's why, even possessing this divine technique, understanding it was impossible.
Now, however.
The moment I saw the path of purple, somehow, I felt I could understand 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts'.
'Now I understand why everyone who read 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' called it an absurd martial art.'
Yes, this is a martial art that could completely overturn the history of martial arts in Yanguo.
Its basis might be for escaping and ambushing cultivators.
But if used properly, this could be.
―Undoubtedly a martial art meant to capture and kill those cultivators!
A few cycles back, this was Kim Young-hoon's assessment of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' after mastering it.
Yes, used properly, it's indeed a martial art capable of killing cultivators!
The formula of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' crosses my mind.
[In the contest of martial arts, if the clashing of colors represents the essence of martial arts… can't we attack the colors themselves?]
A phrase incomprehensible before stepping into the realm of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.
But now, I understand.
'Colors represent intent (spirit, will, etc). Attacking the colors themselves mean.'
Attacking the opponent's intent directly!
Beyond exchanging intent trajectories, attacking the intent themselves, and furthermore, cutting through the opponent's very consciousness, is the essence of Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts. One who uses this as a basis can enter a cultivator's blind spots and strike!
The divine technique Kim Young-hoon showed, which made him disappear like a phantom, wasn't his agility but the record that quickly sliced through my consciousness, making it impossible for me to perceive him momentarily!
Shuk!
My sword dives into the flow of the Crown Prince's consciousness.
Every human consciousness has its fibers.
Aiming for the gaps in the fibers through the purple thread, I concentrate my intent following the formula of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' and slice into his consciousness.
Paat!
The edges of his consciousness split.
Though I stand before him, in his eyes, I must appear to have vanished like a phantom.
I've entered the cultivator's blind spot.
Ordinary martial artists can't perceive intent due to completely being dominated by a cultivator's consciousness domain.
Conversely, a cultivator can detect every movement of a martial artist who enters their realm of consciousness.
But 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' allows one to penetrate the cultivator's blind spot, rendering even cultivators unable to track a martial artist's actions.
A martial art that momentarily equalizes martial artists with cultivators!
This is.
'A martial art created by mortals to transcend the cultivators!'
Quickly slicing through the fibers of the Crown Prince's consciousness, I approach him closely and raise my sword.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Transcending Peaks!
Paat!
My sword, covered in sword silk, precisely targets the Crown Prince's neck.
Then, the sound of clashing metal resounds.
Kaang!
A translucent defensive spell suddenly covers him.
"Huh, huhuk…! What trick did you play?"
Surprised by my sudden disappearance and close-range attack, he forms a spell seal.
Kwaang!
Energy writhes, changing the flow of the surrounding air.
Purung!
I'm thrown backwards by a strong recoil, and a small whirlwind starts rising around the Crown Prince.
"Fun tricks, but I'll show you they won't work on a true cultivator!"
Pyeung!
Several wind blades shoot out from the whirlwind covering him.
I hastily retreat, dodging outside the Crown Prince's domain of consciousness.
From outside his realm, the flow of intent becomes clear.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Strange Stone.
Boom, boom, boom!
In a defensive and offensive stance, I deflect all incoming wind blades and prepare to re-enter his domain.
However, as the Crown Prince forms another spell seal, a wind bullet, as big as my upper body, shoots towards me from the whirlwind.
'I need to dodge.'
Frowning, I deploy my agility technique and escape among the houses within the Makli Clan's territory.
Kwaang, Kwaang, Kwaang!
The wind bullet collapses several straw houses, and corpses and streams of blood from mortals spill out.
'I need to approach the whirlwind.'
Observing the Crown Prince's whirlwind, I click my tongue.
'Every strand of that wind is a wind blade. If I approach, I'll be shredded.'
Even if I manage to approach by cutting through his consciousness, if I can't penetrate the whirlwind, I can't deliver a strike.
'No, hold on.'
Even if I penetrate the whirlwind, the Crown Prince's defensive spell remains.
My sword silk isn't enough to penetrate his spell.
'How can I break through all of it?'
Kwaang, kwaang, kwaang!
I dodge through the alleys of the village, using the houses of cultivators as a shield against the Crown Prince's attacks.
Dodging isn't a problem.
As long as I keep observing the flow of his intent from outside his domain.
However, fundamentally, the internal energy of a martial artist is more impure compared to a cultivator's spiritual power, so no matter how much internal energy a martial artist has, they will tire much quicker than a cultivator.
'I can't drag this out.'
I need to finish this quickly.
And to do that.
'Now, right now. I must ascend to Three Flowers Gather at the Summit!'
I must seize this clue and ascend now.
With the resolve to die!
Ta-at!
Climbing onto the roof of a house with my Transcending Peaks Step, I thrust my sword at the wind bullets the Crown Prince shoots.
Boo-woong!
Kwaang!
Cutting upwards with Ascending Vein, the wind bullets split in half and fly off in different directions.
Jing, jing, jing!
'My hand is trembling.'
Indeed, the power contained in the wind bullets were formidable.
The hand holding my sword ached unbearably.
'I'll keep receiving those attacks.'
I gave up on dodging and continue to thrust my sword at his wind bullets and wind blades.
The intent of the wind bullets and wind blades is directed at me.
I observe the attacks coming from both sides and prepare my stance.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Landscape Painting!
Diagonal slashes extend left and right, cutting through the approaching wind blades and wind bullets.
But beyond, even more endless wind blades rush in.
'They don't stop.'
I keep wielding my sword and perform sword moves.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Joy of Mountains and Peaks.
Flowing Ridge.
Strange Stone.
Bouldered Cliff.
Amidst continuous rotation.
Piercing and slicing the wind bullets.
I attack and block in a defensive and offensive stance.
While doing so, I begin to approach step by step again.
Shuk! Shuk!
I cautiously advance, inching forward with measured steps
Shoulder, waist, cheek, thigh.
The flesh touched by the wind blades turn to tatters.
"Hmph, dare to come at me! Die!"
The Crown Prince forms a spell seal, and the whirlwind writhes, as numerous wind blades begin to merge.
Soon, they form the shape of a giant bird.
A deep red consciousness aims at me.
A terrifying killing intent pierces the entire space I stand in.
I can't block it.
I can't dodge it.
The moment it flies at me, I'll die.
I instinctively know.
But for some reason, I'm not worried.
I just aimlessly follow the faint purple thread between the red.
'What does purple mean?'
Blue is the thread of self-protection.
Thus, it extends from me.
Red is the thread of killing intent.
Thus, it extends from the enemy.
Then what is purple?
Purple is...
Suddenly, I feel as if the red and blue threads are mingling, somewhat forming a Tai Chi.
Though blue is weaker compared to red, it mixes with red.
And between red and blue.
A purple thread opens a path.
'Purple is the color born from the mix of blue and red.'
Hostility and self-will.
The will to protect oneself and the will to kill.
Why can these two intents mix?
Suddenly, looking at the stance I've taken, I'm amazed.
Facing this fearsome attack, I've adopted the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship's first move, Transcending Peaks.
'Do I no longer want to live?'
No, that's not it.
I've always wanted to live.
Then, the current stance also means my will to live has guided me towards it.
'Ah, right.'
This isn't just a simple Transcending Peaks.
Transcending Peaks marks both the beginning and end of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Therefore, it can also be the initial form of the ultimate technique, Severing Mountain (斷岳).
Kieeek!
The giant bird flies towards me.
I initiate the twenty-second form of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Severing Mountain (斷岳).
Transcending Peaks (越岳).
Entering Mountain (入山).
Ascending Vein (登脈).
Flowing Ridge (流陵).
Bouldered Cliff (塊巖).
Strange Stone (奇石).
Deep Mountain (深山).
Secluded Valley (幽谷).
Landscape Painting (山水畵).
Dragon Vein (龍脈).
Cliff Edge (斷崖).
Twelve Lights Emerging Peak (十二光日出峰).
I slash horizontally, then vertically again holding the sword high and piercing crookedly, then I rotate in a defensive and offensive stance, adjusting and charging forward with an upward slash.
I twist and neutralize the opponent's power, slashing diagonally several times.
In an instant, I intensify the sword silk with a rapid vertical slash, then change the speed, slashing upwards and firing twelve streams of sword silk.
All of this happens in a flash.
I frantically wield the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, relentlessly pursuing the purple thread.
The power of the giant bird intensifies.
The wind blades emitting from its body leave scars and cuts all over my body.
My vision blurs, perhaps due to too much blood loss.
'A little more, just a little more!'
Keep moving the sword.
Get even one step closer to that color!
Even if I die the next moment!
'If I lack talent.'
Joy of Mountains and Peaks (樂山樂岳).
Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven (氣山心天).
Layered Mountain (疊疊山中).
Mountain Tiger (山中豪傑).
Mountain and Valley Transformation (陵谷之變).
Echoing Valley (空谷傳聲).
'I must go crazy!!!'
It's okay to die now.
So please, show me the way!
In that moment.
I see a massive red intent aiming at me and think.
'Maybe in the contest of martial arts, there is no me or others.'
Until now, I've always thought others' intents were invariably red.
But if I change my perspective, from the other's point of view, their intent is blue, and mine is red.
I used to think the world of peak martial artists only consisted of others' intents and mine.
But maybe that's a mistaken thought.
Others' intent.
And my intent.
It's just a matter of perspective and maybe they're all the same color.
I close and then open my eyes.
Changing perspectives, my intent appears red and the giant bird's intent blue.
When I blink again, the colors return to normal, but I understand.
'If intent is essentially the same, what remains is only my martial arts.'
The boundaries between my color and the Crown Prince's color start to fade.
Red and blue melt into each other, and before me, the world seems to be drenched in purple.
My body is turning into tatters in real-time, but concurrently, I enter a strange state of ecstasy.
Martial arts are never complete on their own.
Martial arts need a partner to dance with.
'Ah, I see.'
I finally understand the realm of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.
A realm of connection!
A realm where the boundary between the opponent's intent and mine disappears, allowing me to read their intent more directly and meticulously
By understanding the opponent's intent, I can ensure that all my movements and techniques are flawless.
I mirror all my techniques in the Crown Prince's intent, fully understanding how much energy I've wasted.
How many unnecessary movements I made while executing sword moves.
Huuuuh―
I take a deep breath.
I gather all the internal energy I've carelessly scattered while executing my sword moves!
The Shadow Guards, paralyzed by paralyzing powder, watched the duel between Seo Eun-hyun and the Crown Prince from the ground.
A seasoned veteran with overwhelming practical experience despite his young age!
That was the assessment of Seo Eun-hyun when he joined the Shadow Guard.
Such an experienced master had been refining his skills for decades.
But everyone in the Shadow Guards thought he couldn't beat the Crown Prince.
Because he was a cultivator.
A being of a different class from martial artists.
Indeed, Seo Eun-hyun was becoming tattered in real-time while fighting the Crown Prince.
He was spewing blood, covered in wounds and holes torn in his body.
Yet, he did not give up and steadily moved forward, step by step.
Everyone knew.
This desperate struggle was futile.
Suddenly, the Shadow Guards were astounded.
Seo Eun-hyun began to execute his swordsmanship.
It looked more like a sword dance.
A series of movements, clean without any superfluity.
But what astounded them was what happened next.
Seo Eun-hyun's intent became increasingly refined to the point where even the mid pinnacle guards failed to grasp in understanding.
His intent, which had spread out around him, suddenly converged into three points.
"Th-Three..."
Above his head, three flowers bloomed.
"Three Flowers... Gather at the Summit!"
The three flowers that momentarily lingered above his head were soon sucked into his nose and mouth.
Huuuuup!
All the wasted energy returns at once.
The internal energy spent while executing the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship is instantly replenished.
I felt like I understood why Leader said that Echoing Valley was linked to Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.
'A technique that receives and counters the opponent's power.'
In a sense, it was a practice of exchanging intents with the opponent, ultimately leading to connection.
'Thank you, Hyung-nim.'
I express my deep gratitude to Kim Young-hoon from my past life and continue to swing my sword.
There is no you or me.
Only martial arts itself exists here.
I felt like I understood why Three Flowers Gather at the Summit masters spoke to enter a state of no-mind.
Not a metaphysical answer, but advice to reach a state where neither your intent nor the other's exists.
Mountain Echoes, Valley Respond (山鳴谷應).
Nine Mountains Eight Seas (九山八海).
In a state of no-mind, I unleash my sword.
In executing sword moves, not even a single bit of wasted movement exists.
In the realm of purple, beyond blue and red, I continue to infuse my sword with intent.
'If there is no you or me in martial arts, then there is neither your intent or mine.'
The sword silk becomes one with the sword, infusing it with energy.
If sword silk is the realization of sword intent,
Then next.
'Sword intent should connect with the intent flowing through the world.'
Paaat!
The sword silk evolves.
The faint aura surrounding the sword thickens and starts to emit a radiance.
It looked as if the sword was adorned with starlight.
Sword Gang!
Why I couldn't sustain the Sword Gang for more than a second with my strength alone, even when pouring all my internal energy into it, became clear in the realm of Three Flowers.
Because martial arts aren't just about using one's own strength.
The opponent's intent.
And the intent of the world must connect to truly complete martial arts.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Heavenly Lake!
I become like a clear lake, sweeping through the 'flow' of the giant bird with my sword.
Though it was a spell body without meridians and channels, I felt like I could understand the giant bird's structure.
The flow of intent inside the giant bird was clear to see.
The power of the giant bird was sucked into my sword in an instant, and I executed the ultimate technique of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship while sheathing my sword.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Ultimate Move.
"Severeing Mountain."
Chaaaak!
Unsheathing the sword again, I unleash it towards the giant bird.
My sword was clearly adorned with bright Sword Gang.
Chung!
The Sword Gang shatters the giant bird.
"Huuu..."
I catch my breath.
I look at the Crown Prince, grinding his teeth within the whirlwind, with clear eyes.
"Ha, you. Don't be happy just because you broke one spell. Take this!"
Numerous wind blades merge, transforming into a giant dragon this time.
But I no longer felt that these would kill me.
Tadat!
I charge at him with the Transcending Peaks Step.
Koooong!
The wind dragon roars and flies towards me.
In the midst of executing the foot technique, I realized something more.
'Mountain Lord Martial Arts and Transcending Peaks Step were one technique all along.'
Until now, I didn't realize it due to my lack of talent.
It was only after reaching the state of Three Flowers that I finally understood.
The intention Kim Young-hoon had left in this foot technique when he created it.
Mountain Lord (山君) transcends Great Peaks(越岳)!
'And then, it soars.'
Mountain Lord's Soaring Flight (山君越岳飛).
I leaped up, avoiding the wind dragon, and entered the Crown Prince's domain.
''Be nervous, Your Highness.''
Now, there were no more constraints in executing the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts.
The moment I entered his domain, I felt the flow of his consciousness sweeping over my entire body.
Using Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, I sharply honed my intent and cut through his consciousness directly.
Just moments ago, I was cutting unconsciously in ecstasy, but now I was fully aware and executing in single form!
''Ha, resorting to tricks again. But do you really think you can penetrate this whirlwind?''
The whirlwind surrounding the Crown Prince.
It was the culmination of a spell made of thousands, even tens of thousands of wind blades.
Yet, I feel a newfound confidence.
'I can cut through it.'
The weakest point of the spell.
The spot where the rotation of the wind blades was weakest.
I shot towards that spot.
Kaang!
Dozens, hundreds of wind blades seemed to shoot towards me.
But I did not flinch, sensing their intent.
I felt it.
Kaang, kang, kang!
Landscape Painting (山水畵)!
Dozens of slashes extended in all directions, shedding the wind blades, and I successfully penetrated the inside of the whirlwind.
Inside, the Crown Prince's consciousness was denser and harder to cut.
'No matter.'
At this distance, my sword can reach him.
I infused my sword with Sword Gang.
Paat!
A bright white light burst from my sword, shocking the Crown Prince who just noticed me.
'Before, I couldn't pierce the defensive spell with sword silk.'
But Sword Gang would be different!
Kwaang!
My single sword stroke shattered the Crown Prince's defensive spell like glass.
"Kreuaak!"
Chaaak!
My sword tore a part of his neck.
Paaat!
The Crown Prince hurriedly executed a wind spell to dodge my sword.
For the first time, fear seemed to surface in his eyes.
"He, heek. Don't come. Stay away!"
Paat!
I lunged at him with the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts, cutting through his consciousness again.
As I disappeared from his sight, his complexion turned deathly pale.
"G-go away! Get away, get away from me!"
Kwaaaa!
A gust of wind howled.
He blindly scattered wind in all directions due to not seeing me, but I quickly sliced through the wind and approached him again.
Chaaak!
Using Sword Gang, I aimed at him once more.
The Crown Prince screamed and used another spell, narrowly surviving once more.
"Die! Just die!"
Paat!
As he chanted a spell, forming another incantation, once again, spells in the forms of giant bird, wind dragon, phoenix, and Qilin burst forth.
Now fully grounded in Three Flowers Gather at the Summit and using Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts, they were useless against me.
Shuk!
I rushed towards the giant bird with Deep Mountain, slicing it, then pierced the wind dragon with Flowing Ridge. Dodging other spells with Mountain Lord's Soaring Flight, I chase after the prince.
Once again, he uses powerful spells to escape from me.
The situation had reversed.
"Hu, huk! Huoooork!"
The Crown Prince miserably ran away, continuously forming incantations.
Compared to me, who uses my internal energy without any waste, the Crown Prince, who had kept casting large-scale spells that never hit, now turned pale.
"Ju, just die! Please, just die! Huaaaa!"
'With the next strike, I'll end it.'
I took the stance of Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven and took a breath.
"Ha, ha! Krk!"
While fleeing, the Crown Prince suddenly changes direction, leaping with a spell.
'Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven!'
Shuk!
My Sword Gang extends and aims at his legs, severing them.
"Kraaak! Damn, damn it! A mere martial artist, why a martial artist!!"
In agony from his severed legs, he grits his teeth at me.
"You! Do you think what you're doing is right? Do you think the Jin Clan you're with is any different?"
I silently raise my sword towards him.
"Hahaha! That's right, you received the Blessing Pill from father years ago! The Blessing Pill is made of the same material as the Revival Pill.
And you know what the Qi Building Pill is, the one that Qi Refining cultivators eat to ascend to Qi Building right?"
I raise my sword towards the babbling prince.
"The Qi Building Pill is made using a hundred years of human vital energy and essence as one of its ingredients! Do you think there's a Qi Building cultivator who ascended without eating a Qi Building Pill?
Over 99% of Qi Building cultivators ascend by consuming Qi Building Pills! The Jin Clan you follow is no different in the end! They all consume human lives!
Since you've eaten the Blessing Pill, you're no different..."
Puk!
I kick the Crown Prince in the chest. He coughed up blood, struggling to breathe.
But I, too, had to gasp for air.
I had lost too much blood.
There were places where flesh had been completely torn away, and I was losing sensation in my thigh.
I glanced down at the Crown Prince coughing on the ground, then took out a silk box from my pocket.
I looked at the Blessing Pill inside.
A lustrous pill with a hint of red.
A legendary elixir said to extend a person's life by ten years.
Today, I realized the true nature of the red hue in the Blessing Pill.
Tuk―
Crunch.
I throw the filthy pill beside the Crown Prince and crush it under my foot.
"Don't worry. I have no intention of ever consuming such filthy pills made by you cultivators."
Flames roared and raged.
The Makli Clan's base was now engulfed in flames by the fire spells of the Jin Clan cultivators.
Above, a battle was raging among Qi Building cultivators.
Kim Young-hoon was also engaged in that battle.
'I need to hurry... and help.'
Would I have been able to move a bit more if I had taken the Blessing Pill?
But I have no regrets.
I don't want to touch a filthy pill made at the expense of human lives.
Sleung―
I raise my sword.
"Farewell."
I struck down at the Crown Prince.
Shuk!
What's happening?
Why is my body upside down?
I suddenly realize that my neck felt empty.
'Ah, I see. My head has been cut off.'
It was due to a wind blade that suddenly shot from the necklace the Crown Prince was wearing.
A wind blade I couldn't possibly block or dodge.
'I need to... cut.'
Finally reaching that realm.
To be a little more helpful.
Is this how I die?
'No, it's not.'
Even if I die like this.
Let me be of some help.
Despite achieving the realm I longed for, to die without doing anything?
'I'll cut! I'll cut!'
Even if I die, I'll keep cutting!
"Huh...huk..."
Makli Hyun, the Crown Prince of Yanguo, gasped for breath upon witnessing the decapitated body of Seo Eun-hyun.
'I survived.'
The life-saving magical instrument given to the Crown Prince of Yanguo.
A one-time use magical instrument capable of delivering a blow equivalent to a Qi Building cultivator was activated.
"...Ha, hahaha!"
He laughed maniacally.
"I won! I beat this mortal! You can never challenge the authority of cultivators Ha, haha! Kuhk! Kuk!"
He coughed up blood.
He had used too many powerful spells excessively.
His spiritual power was depleted, and he couldn't move his legs.
'I need to recover my spiritual power with spirit stones.'
He looked up at the sky.
Among the martial artists who came with Seo Eun-hyun, there was a monster who was confronting Qi Building-level elders head-on.
'I shouldn't have come to gain merit. I need to escape before it's too late...'
Then, it happened.
Wriggle―
"..."
Seo Eun-hyun's decapitated body began to move.
"What?"
Makli Hyun dumbfoundedly watched the body.
A body without a head, now adopting a stance.
"What, what's going on! No, nooo!"
Without any spiritual power controlling its movements, it wasn't a Jiangshi.
"Why is he moving!"
He tried to stand and flee, but his legs wouldn't move.
Then, Seo Eun-hyun's intent captured his consciousness.
'This is...'
Obsession!
An overwhelming obsession to cut down the opponent in front of him, no matter what, was raging within Seo Eun-hyun's body.
'Nonsense! How can a mere mortal have such obsession!'
Seo Eun-hyun's corpse took on a sword stance.
Though his corpse could not gather energy into the sword, Makli Hyun was now powerless, unable to move, and had even used up his one-time life-saving magical device.
The sword began to move.
"This is nonsense! How can a mere mortal possess such tenacity? How can such a thing be possible! Why, why won't you give up even in death!"
It was Seo Eun-hyun's body.
The body he honed in martial arts all his life.
The hands that held the sword so tightly through decades of arduous training.
His lifelong dedication to refining his martial arts, even in death, moved his body on its own, performing its destined task.
"Why won't you give up! Why resist even in death!!!"
Swoosh!
Seo Eun-hyun's sword cleanly sliced off the upper part of Makli Hyun's mouth.
His mouth remained agape in disbelief until his death, and his eyes were filled with incredulity and fear until the end.
Seo Eun-hyun's head, even severed, bore a faint smile.
Thus ended the life of a man who had relentlessly refined himself.
This was Seo Eun-hyun's fifth return.
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