Chapter 43: Qi Refining (3)

When I opened my eyes, the pungent smell of medicinal herbs assailed my nose.

'Red Stemmed Bamboo, Far Reaching Grass, Clustered Earth... I recognize some, but more than half are unknown to me...'

As I inhaled the scent of medicinal herbs, I tried to recall their combinations, but it seems that most were beyond my knowledge.

After circulating my energy to check my physical condition, I slowly rose from my seat.

'This place is...'

It appeared to be the medicinal hall of the Jin Clan.

While I was looking around, on the small table beside me, a red jade stone that was placed there turned blue.

Simultaneously, in my domain of consciousness, numerous spell characters linked to the jade stone formed a connection, alerting me.

'Is this... informing others of my physical condition...?'

The connection of the spell characters extended rapidly outside the room. Soon, a Cheongmun Clan elder of Qi Building, Cheongmun Byeok, and what appeared to be a physician of the Jin Clan entered the room.

"Respected elder..."

"Sit down. Ha ha ha. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes. I feel almost unscathed."

"Well, that's to be expected. Even the head of the Jin Clan was excited watching your duel and ordered to take great care of you. It's surprising that he felt such excitement watching a duel between two Qi Refining cultivators, not even Qi Building. Ha ha, you've made a great contribution."

Cheongmun Byeok, laughing heartily, patted my shoulder and spoke to the Jin Clan's physician.

"If there's nothing unusual after examining his meridians, he can be discharged."

"Yes, understood."

The physician of the Jin Clan examined my condition and promptly declared me fully recovered, allowing me to leave.

I followed Cheongmun Byeok to the quarters assigned to me in the Cheongmun Clan.

My room was next to Cheongmun Byeok's, and before entering, he called me into his room.

The door of the quarters closed with a thud, and Cheongmun Byeok, sitting down, flicked his fingers.

A cushion flew in front of me and landed on the floor, and he gestured for me to sit.

"Sit down."

"Yes."

"First of all, you did very well in today's duel. You upheld the dignity of the Cheongmun Clan in front of the other clans. Today's event will be reported to the head of our clan, and you have definitely earned merit."

"Thank you."

"But, before the main house decides on a reward, I have something I want to know."

He looked at me with clear eyes and asked.

"In my younger days, I read in an ancient text about martial artists of the Five Energies Converging to the Origin, who appear once in several hundred years. They are beyond the reach of ordinary Qi Refiners, with a lifetime of extreme hardship and martial arts training. Only by facing death can they possibly awaken to such a state."

He is right.

Unless one is an anomaly like Kim Young-hoon, who has unprecedented martial talent, or someone like me, an anomaly of time, typical geniuses cannot reach the Five Energies Converging to the Origin without preparing for death.

Even if one reaches the extreme of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, without properly completing a body transformation and strengthening the body, the upper dantian would swell and burst.

"Such beings, born against all odds, often have superior and more intricate consciousness than ordinary Qi Refiners. They can even wield the Pure Spiritual Force that Qi Building cultivators use, overpowering ordinary Qi Refining cultivators."

"Pure Spiritual Foce...?"

"Did you not know? When you reach Qi Building, spiritual energy becomes incredibly pure along the activated spiritual pathways from Qi Refining... Like this."

A pure white light began to emanate from Cheongmun Byeok's hand.

I was awestruck.

"Gang Qi...!"

"Do mortals call it Gang Qi? Qi Building cultivators call it Pure Spiritual Force. It's force created by removing impurities and compressing the existing spiritual energy dozens of times."

I watched Cheongmun Byeok effortlessly emitting Gang Qi from his hand without any intent and became speechless.

Meanwhile, I noticed that the Pure Spiritual Force he emitted was different from my Sword Gang.

'Mine is filled with intent, but his force is just massively compressed Qi.'

Just like when I used the initial move of 'Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven' to infuse energy into my Sword Silk, creating Gang Qi for a few seconds.

A Qi Building cultivator just spews out crudely compressed heaven and earth spiritual energy.

'My Sword Gang might be slightly better in cutting ability, but...'

Without any realization, I was dumbfounded by Cheongmun Byeok, who could continuously emit Gang Qi, not just for 'a few seconds,' but 'steadily.'

'I'm overwhelmingly inferior in output. Moreover, the purity of his Qi is much higher than my Sword Gang. It's free from impurities...!'

More importantly, being able to emit Gang Qi so crudely means that...

"I have a question. If I reach Qi Building... that Gang Qi... no, Pure Spiritual Force..."

"In Qi Building, Pure Spiritual Force is the 'norm'."

"It flows through the meridians instead of regular spiritual power. It densely fills the entire body with natural resilience, so what you martial artists call protective Gang Qi is effectively being constantly emitted."

A monster whose meridians are filled with Gang Qi!

A being almost constantly emitting protective Gang Qi, that is a Qi Building cultivator!

'The reason only Gang Sphere can fight against Qi Building... Is because they are monsters constantly spewing protective Gang Qi. To injure a Qi Building cultivator, one needs power beyond Gang Qi...'

I was dizzy with the concept I hadn't even imagined before.

Gang Qi instead of regular energy flowing through the meridians!

Is this even human?

'No wonder the lifespan of Qi Building cultivators greatly increases...'

Their bodies are filled with Gang Qi, continuously cultivating and expanding its volume. It would be strange if such monsters didn't experience a change in lifespan.

"...Anyway. Martial artists who have reached Three Flowers Gather at the Summit can emulate our Pure Spiritual Force, and those of the Five Energies Converging to the Origin can do so quite freely... Those below Qi Building stand no chance.

However, excluding such obvious information, martial artists of the Five Energies Converging to the Origin are so rare that I don't know what you might need. So, tell me what you need for your reward from the Cheongmun Clan."

"Something I need..."

After a moment of thought, I spoke to him.

"The elder of the Cheongmun Clan who oversees the territory I reside once told me about Understanding before Breakthrough. Since my spiritual root is of the Five Elements, my cultivation speed isn't fast. I would like to follow the method of Understanding before Breakthrough."

"Understanding before Breakthrough... If it's about understanding spells and mantras, I'll recommend you as a disciple to Cheongmun Ryeong after I return to the main house. He may have given up on reaching Core Formation, but he's dedicated to researching spells, mantras, and formations. He'll be of help in your pursuit of Understanding before Breakthrough."

"...Thank you!"

"And..."

He stroked his beard for a moment and then said.

"The head of the Jin Clan also found your martial prowess interesting and decided to grant you a reward. They'll fulfill any reasonable request, so think about what you want."

After finishing his words, Cheongmun Byeok indicated that our conversation was over, and I stepped outside, mulling over.

"A reward from the Jin Clan too..."

From his tone, it seems like they were willing to fulfill any minor request I have.

'...Then, is that possible...?'

I contemplated a possibility, thinking about what to ask for.

A few days later, I had the opportunity to meet the head of the Jin Clan, Jin Yeo-woon.

He expressed great interest in me and asked if I had any wishes.

"Ask within a reasonable scope that they can fulfill."

Before meeting the head, Cheongmun Byeok had earnestly advised me that 'reasonable' meant something that could be fulfilled at the Qi Refining level or below.

"Then, I ask of you, head of the Jin Clan. I..."

After a moment of hesitation, I finally voiced the wish I had been considering.

"...Previously, when I briefly stayed in Yanguo, I formed bonds with the mortals there. Later, I heard they were all used as alchemy ingredients by the Makli Clan and that their descendants are under the care of the Jin Clan. I would like to visit where they live."

"Hmm, you mean the mortals working for the Jin Clan..."

He paused, thinking, then called one of the elders of the Jin Clan.

"Weren't those sacrificed by the Makli Clan trained for assassination before?"

"Yes, they were. But they lacked martial talent and since Makli Jung was assassinated, we found no need to train them as assassins... We've educated them to do farm work or menial tasks in the territories."

"Then, that should be fine..."

The head of the Jin Clan nodded and said.

"I'll allow it. But even if it's the mortals' quarters, they work for our Jin Clan. You, being part of the Cheongmun Clan, cannot freely roam our territory. You can only visit the mortals' area and will be accompanied by a supervisor from our main house."

"I am deeply grateful for your generous grace!"

"Dismissed."

I bowed to the head of the Jin Clan and was introduced to two supervisors who would guide and watch me in the mortals' quarters.

Among them was someone I know.

''We meet again.''

''Indeed.''

Kim Young-hoon, representing the Jin Clan, was waiting for me, dressed in a red robe.

''You are the junior I met during my active days in the martial world. May we talk for a moment?''

''Of course.''

The other supervisor, a Qi Refining 10th Star cultivator, glanced at Kim Young-hoon and discreetly left.

''I was really surprised that you are part of the Cheongmun Clan's envoy... Looking at the size of your consciousness...You have learned the way of cultivation, have you not? I can faintly sense the pressure of your spirit.''

''You have noticed correctly.''

For martial artists of the Five Energies Converging to the Origin, no matter how much they train in martial arts or wield a sword, the size of their consciousness does not grow. It becomes more detailed, as seen in the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts, and they can freely control consciousness or split it, handling more delicate aspects than ordinary cultivators. But the absolute size of consciousness does not increase.

This was true for Kim Young-hoon, who had reached the Ultimate Pinnacle, as his consciousness was slightly smaller than mine, despite his high level.

''So, you've chosen to be a cultivator. That's one way to go.''

''I want to know about what you said through consciousness when we fought.''

''Ha, that matter.''

He walked out of the Jin Clan's building with me, looking up at the sky and began to speak.

''When I first came here, I thought I would never return home. As I learned the Severing Vein Saber Method you taught me, that thought intensified. Feeling the will imbued in that martial art... Ha ha, even the saber move is called 'Saber Tomb'! Isn't that too cruel?''

''...''

''Anyway. Until I reached the stage of the Five Energies Converging to the Origin, that was my thought. But... after achieving the Ultimate Pinnacle and changing my mindset, I became confident in reaching the extremes of the Ultimate Pinnacle through the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts...''

He extended his hand.

Energy gathered from his palm, forming a sphere.

The sphere split.

Dividing into three, the split spheres spun around, multiplying into nine spheres.

''I thought this wasn't the end. Currently, I can only face Qi Building cultivators, and it would cost my life to take an arm off a Core Formation cultivator. Those in Core Formation are like natural disasters in human form... It's pointless knowing they can recover an arm in about a month...''

'...'

''However.''

His eyes widened.

''I can tell. This is not the end! Definitely not! I, we can go further!

We will surely see beyond this realm!''

He continued speaking.

''The 16th and 23rd moves of the Severing Vein Saber Method and Severing Mountain Swordsmanship are both named 'Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains'. Surely there's a reason you named the final techniques of both martial arts that way?''

I remained silent.

It was a misunderstanding that I had created both martial arts.

The reason for the final techniques of both martial arts having such names was a bit different from what he thought.

''Surely, I, we can pioneer new realms!! It's definitely possible!''

"Kim Hyung."

I looked at him and spoke.

''You said your goal was to reach the Ascension Gate, but to me, it seems like... the Ascension Gate is just a reason, and maybe you're just more curious about the limits of martial arts.''

''Ha ha, that might be true.''

He gave a bitter smile.

''But, I do miss home. This homesickness... it never fades. Sometimes I think my obsession with martial arts is to forget this homesickness.''

To forget homesickness.

In the colorless world of consciousness, I dismantled my consciousness and observed colors again.

Noticing my gaze, Kim Young-hoon smiled awkwardly.

His consciousness was filled with golden hues.

The intent of joy.

Though mixed with longing and sadness, Kim Young-hoon talking about martial arts seemed filled with joy.

''Well. Isn't practicing martial arts fun? Honestly, I've never found anything that fits me as well as this... Maybe, as you said, I just enjoy practicing martial arts...''

''Enjoy...''

Perhaps that was the source of Kim Young-hoon's talent.

For me, martial arts were undoubtedly a part of life.

Something I could call my historical achievement, but not exactly something I 'enjoy.'

''Whether I practice martial arts to forget homesickness or simply because I'm happy doing it, my intention to go beyond the Ultimate Pinnacle is sincere. And you, being a martial artist, surely aspire to reach even higher realms.''

He grinned and said.

"Come visit occasionally. As a martial artist who has reached the stage of Five Energies Converging to the Origin, you are the only one of this generation in the whole world. I'll gladly teach you whenever you come."

"Yes, thank you."

I smiled and accepted his invitation.

I had been worried when I first learned of his desire to reach the Ascension Gate, as he would not be able to achieve it in this lifetime. But knowing that Kim Young-hoon's focus was more on the pursuit of martial arts rather than the Ascension Gate itself lightened my heart.

"Now that you're healed, shall we spar lightly?"

"Hahaha, I thought you'd say that."

I casually drew my sword from its sheath.

He sent one of the Gang Spheres he had levitated in his hand towards me.

This move was imbued with the essence of the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts.

The Record began with the ability to cut through others' consciousness and perception, as seen in the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts. It then moved through the understanding of assimilating consciousness from the Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, to a martial study of dividing one's consciousness and controlling it.

After wrapping the void with Gang Qi, I was able to detach my consciousness and insert actions into the Gang Qi, then manipulate it in the void.

Of course, compressing Gang Qi to make it float like it's alive in the void was still beyond my capabilities.

However, I lifted my sword and using the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts,

I divided my consciousness, inputting actions into it.

Simultaneously, I infused Gang Qi into the sword.

Vroom-

Boom!

The sword began to leave my hand.

"Ha!"

Concentrating my consciousness, the sword that left my hand started floating in the void.

Boom!

Following the techniques of the Record, the sword containing Gang Qi rose into the void and collided with Kim Young-hoon's Gang Sphere.

Using Qi to Control Sword!

I repeatedly divided pieces of my consciousness from a distance, throwing them at my flying sword, constantly inputting actions.

Vroom, boom, boom!

The sword tore through the void, following my will and utilizing the techniques of the Record to cut through perception.

However, Kim Young-hoon's Gang Sphere also cut through perception and seemed to disappear in the void.

I frantically followed the trail of his consciousness with my eyes and found his Gang Sphere.

Suddenly, the trail of consciousness twisted in the void.

'There!'

I quickly inputted consciousness into my flying sword again to dodge Kim Young-hoon's Gang Sphere.

But in that brief moment, his Gang Sphere, as if alive, chased my flying sword.

At the same time, Kim Young-hoon's consciousness clung to mine, interfering with my input to the flying sword.

Though we didn't physically clash like before, a tremendous storm of consciousness collided in the void.

Countless threads of consciousness clashed, and I managed to input the last action into my flying sword through this storm of consciousness and perception.

However...

Crack!

His Gang Sphere, as if dancing in the void, collided directly with the consciousness within my Sword Gang.

Simultaneously, all the consciousness I had input into my flying sword were extinguished, and the consciousness of the Gang Sphere took its place.

My flying sword was snatched by Kim Young-hoon.

"How did you do that? It's as if the Gang Sphere is alive."

"Of course, it is alive."

"Are you joking, or is it true?"

He smiled, retrieved the Gang Sphere, manipulated my flying sword a few times, then returned it to me.

"It's true. Follow the path of Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts, and you'll understand the enlightenment of the Ultimate Pinnacle. Then you'll know what I mean."

"I'll remember that."

I sheathed my sword and bowed to him in respect.

"Hahaha, now that we've had enough fun, shall we go to the place you wanted to visit?"

Guided by Kim Young-hoon and another cultivator from the Jin Clan, I headed to one of the outlying territories of the Jin Clan.

Mortals are hard at work.

There are carpenters, gem cutters, and blacksmiths.

Some are farming, and others are gathering herbs.

They are commoners working in the Jin Clan's territory.

Though they all looked tired, there is no apparent abuse or suffering.

Indeed, working in the territory of a cultivator clan meant consistent prosperity, regardless of famine or disaster in other countries.

It was not a bad situation for them.

Of course, it might be different for those working under a devilish cultivator clan like the Makli Clan.

Upon my arrival in the territory, I was informed that I could only follow certain paths and was subjected to a mild restriction on my consciousness. Guided by Kim Young-hoon and a Jin Clan supervisor, I started looking for familiar faces.

"They've all grown up so much."

They were just boys and girls, students in training when I had infiltrated the territory years ago. Now, each one of them look like a young adult.

"Cheong-ya seems to be practicing medicine."

I remembered she had learned assassination and poison skills under me in the previous life, and it seems she found her calling.

"Hee-a is weaving... Ha ha, she always had delicate hands, better suited for this than wielding weapons."

"Yeol-o is working with wood. He looks much more suited for this."

"Is Dae-hyeon a carpenter?"

And so on, I observed my past life's disciples. All of them are healthy and alive, not enduring harsh training for assassination but rather doing what seems to suit them.

I was looking at my grown-up disciples from my past life when the Qi Refining supervisor asked, 

"You came to see the children of your acquaintances, but you haven't spoken to anyone?"

"That's right. Why don't you talk to them?"

Kim Young-hoon, too, found my behavior strange and asked. I gave a small laugh.

"Then let's talk to the next person."

The next one I visited was Nok-hyeon, the foolhardy disciple who first ran away from me and rashly decided to assassinate the emperor, and who died first.

"Is that Nok-hyeon's house?"

I went to Nok-hyeon's home to see what he was doing. There was smell of wood from his house, and he was carving something inside his small workshop.

"Nok-hyeon is a carpenter, it seems. What is he carving?"

I peeked into his workshop, and I could see he was carving a family. There was a statue of parents and siblings sitting happily together, with Nok-hyeon himself carved in the middle.

It seems to be his family, who had been killed by the Makli Clan.

Looking closely, I saw that his workshop was filled with similar family sculptures.

I quietly observed these sculptures.

Suddenly, Nok-hyeon saw my shadow cast into the workshop, flinched, and looked up at me.

"Who are you?"

I gestured to the cultivator and Kim Young-hoon to leave us alone. They nodded and stepped back.

"Is that... your family?"

"...? Yes, it is."

"Do you find your work fulfilling?"

"Yes, but... who are you?"

He cautiously asked, eyeing the black robe of the Cheongmun Clan I was wearing.

"Just a passerby."

"Oh, I see."

Of course, Nok-hyeon didn't seem convinced, his eyes holding a hint of suspicion.

"So, what brings you here?"

"It seems you miss your parents."

"...Yes. They passed away when I was young. I miss them terribly and find myself doing this often."

"Do you harbor any resentment for not being able to see your parents?"

He became more respectful, thinking I was related to a cultivator clan and answered.

"...The day after we completed our grueling training, the severed head of Emperor Makli Jung, our enemy, was placed in our training ground. At first, I didn't know whose head it was, but after finding out, I felt a bit of my resentment dissipate. Of course, it didn't completely resolve my feelings...

But it's not unbearably painful anymore."

"...That's good to hear."

"May I ask who you are...?"

"Just a guest of the Jin Clan."

"Oh, I see. I apologize. My place is like this, and I have nothing to offer..."

"It's fine. I'll be going."

I left Nok-hyeon's house, leaving him behind as he tried to offer hospitality.

'They're living well.'

That's good.

Yet at the same time, I felt a pang in my heart.

After all, these are not my disciples.

My disciples are in another timeline.

"..."

Thump, thump!

I pushed the surging emotions deep inside.

Then I went to the last house.

It was Man-ho's house, the representative of my disciples.

'I've heard some interesting rumors about Man-ho on the way...'

As I approached Man-ho's house, a woman emerged from inside, waddling.

Her belly is swollen with life inside her.

Her face is one I know well.

'It's Kae-hwa... Man-ho, you succeeded after all.'

She was hanging laundry on the line.

Suddenly, Man-ho ran up to her, passed by me without noticing, and rushed towards her.

"Honey! I brought the persimmons you wanted!"

"Oh, you noisy man! You'll startle the baby! And look at your clothes, they're torn! I just mended them, and you tore them again!"

"Sorry, honey."

"Oh dear, it's so hard to live with you..."

After scolding Man-ho for a moment, Kae-hwa suddenly clutched her belly and sat down on the porch.

"Oh, look at this. The baby is kicking."

"Really?"

With my heightened senses from being in the Five Energies Converging to the Origin, I clearly heard the sound of life kicking inside her.

Man-ho, grinning ear to ear, put his ear to Kae-hwa's belly and laughed.

Unknowingly, I realized I was crying while watching them.

Ah, yes.

You two had this possibility.

Not a life of harsh training, covered in blood, listening to the ghosts and resentments of dead family members.

But simply doing what you wish to do.

Living a new life, you had this possibility.

"...Sniff, sniff..."

I couldn't help but let the emotions I had pushed inside erupt a little.

I am so happy.

That these children could grow up and live such lives.

At the same time, I am so sad.

That these children are not my disciples. That they have no relation to me anymore.

The children with whom I had a relationship were in another timeline, the children I could only teach blood and death.

I was joyful at the vastly different lives these children are living, yet paradoxically pained that I would never see them again.

This is the reality of regression.

No matter what relationships I form, they all disappear, moving to another timeline.

Even if I form similar relationships with the same people in each cycle, all the characters in each cycle are actually completely different people who just look the same.

Unlike calling Kim Young-hoon 'Young-hoon Hyung-nim' like the 1st and 2nd cycles, I now call him 'Kim Hyung' for this reason.

Of course, since he was essentially the same person, I couldn't completely change how I address him, and in urgent situations or without thinking, I sometimes call him Young-hoon Hyung-nim...

But regardless, the Kim Young-hoons are clearly different people from the ones in my past cycles.

The same went for my disciples.

The definition of a relationship lies in the time spent together.

These are not my disciples who had spent time with me; they are entirely different people.

On the first day of this life.

I thought I had buried the memories of my past life, but how could human emotions be simply buried?

The memories and emotions of teaching those children had become a part of my life.

"...I'm sorry."

My disciples from my past life, I'm so sorry for not allowing you to dream of such a possibility.

"And thank you."

Children of this life, thank you for living this way.

As my emotions intensified, the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts that I had been unconsciously maintaining was released.

Suddenly, Kae-hwa noticed me and was startled.

"...Oh, who is that?"

"Ah, what? He's crying."

I wiped my tears and smiled at them.

"...I apolgize. Seeing you two reminded me of some people I knew. ...Precious people who I can never see again."

"Oh dear... We've had similar pains. If you don't mind, would you like to come in for a cup of tea..."

"It's fine. Your peaceful home is more fragrant than any tea. May you have a hundred years of harmony."

I finished speaking and bowed to them before using the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts.

They were surprised to see me suddenly disappear like a ghost and looked around, then seemed to realize I was a cultivator and accepted it.

"...Have you seen everyone?"

"...Yes. I've met everyone I needed to."

I avoided eye contact with Kim Young-hoon and looked up at the sky.

Today, my resolve has solidified even more.

I will escape this cycle of regression.

And to do so, I will elevate my realm even further.

To ensure my life is not invalidated by the play of time.

A few days later.

When it was time for the delegation from the Cheongmun Clan to return, I bid farewell to Kim Young-hoon and returned to the Cheongmun Clan.

After paying a brief visit to the head of the Cheongmun Clan and being assigned a significant role, I was allowed to stay in the main house of the Clan.

I then became a disciple of a Qi Building elder named Cheongmun Ryeong, introduced by Cheongmun Byeok.

Taking a disciple's stance before him, I made a vow.

Even if my body breaks to pieces.

No matter what happens, I will aim for the higher realms!!!