Chapter 34: Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains
I took the primary sword stance.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, First Move, Transcending Peaks (越岳).
Wooosh!
A whirlwind.
A whirlwind made of thousands, tens of thousands of wind blades, shredding the entire pavilion and ascending towards the fireball.
When the whirlwind touched the fireball,
The fireball completely shattered and dispersed.
The Jin Clan cultivators who had created the formation all spat blood and retreated.
"Hahaha, mortals. You dare to block my attack? Do you understand what it means to have been at Qi Building?"
A dark shadow shone through the whirlwind.
Makli Wangshin, in the center of the whirlwind, chuckled at me.
"Now, try to block this. Feel what it's like to face someone at Qi Refining 13th Star..."
Squee!
A giant Roc made of wind flew towards me.
The scale of the spell was incomparable to the spell previously shown by Crown Prince Makli Hyun!
This one spell alone seemed to cover the entire lake where the pavilion was.
'I can't dodge.'
My disciples haven't all escaped with Kim Young-hoon yet.
'I must stand my ground!'
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship
Twenty-second Move
Severing Mountain (斷岳)!
The techniques from the first to the twenty-first moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship burst out in an instant.
Then, gathering strength with the final move of Heavenly Lake, I unleashed another strike.
Swoosh!
The Roc made of wind didn't completely shatter, but it split in half and flew past me on both sides.
"Hooo..."
I steadied my breath.
Then, back to the primary stance I had initially taken.
Preparing for Transcending Peaks.
Makli Wangshin, having blocked the Jin Clan's flame spell, chuckled.
"Oh, you blocked it once. Quite a big stroke of luck. Let's see how long that luck lasts. And also..."
Flash!
Suddenly, a whirlwind blew, and a blue barrier appeared over the entire lake.
The Jin Clan cultivators gritted their teeth.
"This is..."
"A barrier..!"
"Is he trying to prevent us from escaping?"
Makli Wangshin grinned at Kim Young-hoon and my disciples, who were trying to escape across the lake.
"I can't let that damn man who blew up my body escape. First, I'll crush those Jin Clan flies and this martial artist, then slowly flay that despicable man."
Boom!
Once again, he formed a seal, and a dragon made of wind burst from the whirlwind surrounding Makli Wangshin and swooped down towards me.
I clenched my teeth and raised my sword.
The Qi Building cultivator of the Makli Clan, Makli Wangshin, calmed his burning anger and used his spells methodically.
He had worked his entire life to surpass Qi Building reaching the peak of Qi Building.
If things had gone well, he might have even aimed for Core Formation in this lifetime.
But everything was ruined by that monstrous man.
The Jin Clan's final weapon.
Although the monster's consciousness was only at the Qi Refining 4th or 5th Star, he had evaded his own perception, beheaded his descendant Makli Hyun, and used some strange technqiues, eventually killing him.
'At least it was a replacement battle...'
If it had been a real battle with no relatives nearby, he wouldn't have dared to resurrect by taking over a descendant's body.
However upon resurrection, he realized that the descendant, Makli Jung, whom he had taken over, was essentially trash.
'If only I could have taken over that Makli Hyun's body!'
But that was impossible since the martial artist had beheaded him.
'I had hope of reaching Core Formation...!'
With such inferior quality, it was doubtful he could even recover his peak Qi Building cultivation, let alone reach Core Formation.
It was all because of that Jin Clan martial artist.
Therefore, Makli Wangshin planned to crush all the Jin Clan flies and the martial artist who seemed to have ties with him, and then leisurely flay the Jin Clan's final weapon, pickling his flesh.
It should have been swift.
'What?'
But the martial artist, brandishing iron scrap, was not going down.
This mortal, he just wouldn't fall.
Despite numerous powerful spells, he stood up like a roly-poly every time, using his Sword Gang to deflect his spells.
'I thought mortals' dantians couldn't hold as much energy as cultivators...'
Why wasn't he getting tired?
More so..
'Another step.'
Squish!
One step.
One step.
Slowly.
He was approaching.
'Annoying.'
He was already annoyed by the Jin Clan flies casting spells, and allowing this martial artist to approach would distract his consciousness.
'I'll have to use a larger spell, even if it's a bit strenuous.'
Makli Wangshin raised his spiritual power, preparing a larger spell.
The whirlwind surrounding him writhes furiously.
Then, with a massive roar, it takes the form of a Wind Tiger and flies towards the unyielding martial artist.
"Ha, your internal energy must be completely depleted by now. Stop resisting and rest easy. You should feel honored that I used such a spell on you."
Just then...
Boom!
With a slash of the martial artist's sword, the Wind Tiger sent by Makli Wangshin splits in half.
"...What is this?"
And again...
Step!
The martial artist takes another step forward.
"Do you have infinite internal energy or something? How can you still have the strength to use such techniques?"
And another step.
Cutting through the wind, the martial artist slowly, very slowly, advances towards him.
''I've seen him continuously maintain his Sword Gang. How can he still have so much energy left? Impossible! What trick are you playing, you mortal!''
One step.
With each step, Makli Wangshin's expression began to distort.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship Twenty-third Move,
Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains (山外山不盡).
This technique wasn't a special move or action, but a concept reached upon mastering the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship to a certain level.
I wield my sword.
I cut through the wind patterns.
Then, I return to the primary stance.
Everything reverts to the primary stance, restoring all the energy and internal strength I had expended.
"Huuuh!"
Breathing in, the internal energy that was about to be exhausted is pulled back into my dantian with my breath.
The internal energy that leaked from the Sword Gang is also recaptured and forcibly returned to the dantian.
Regardless of the technique used, I revert to the basic stance, returning the flow of Qi to its initial state.
A technique that theoretically allows for infinite stamina, as it prevents the depletion of internal energy.
That is the essence of Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains.
However, it's only theoretically infinite.
The moment I stop performing this technique for even an instant, the accumulated Qi backlashes, draining all my energy and causing immense pain.
I experienced this pain during practice sessions.
'I cannot stop.'
As there are endless mountains beyond mountains, I too must be endless.
Therefore, it's a technique to be performed with the readiness to face death.
Whoosh!
From Transcending Peaks to Severing Mountain..
I keep swinging my sword non-stop, linking sword moves continuously.
After performing all moves, I return to the stance of Transcending Peaks, maintaining Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains.
My swordsmanship's power remains unchanged.
Makli Wangshin's spiritual power might decrease over time, but my techniques remain constant.
However...
"Ugh!"
After piercing through a wind bird with Mountain Tiger, I return to the stance of Transcending Peaks.
'I feel like I'm dying.'
Not depleting internal energy doesn't mean not depleting mental strength.
I focus intently to prevent the waste of internal strength with each move, then revert back with Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains to forcibly recapture the expended energy back to the dantian.
This continuous process is excruciating, like boiling my brain.
Bubbling...
Despite being conscious and not fainting, the heat in my head makes saliva in my mouth boil into foam.
Spurt!
Blood bursts from my eyes and nose.
Forcing the energy back into my body strains not only my meridians but also makes me feel like my limbs will snap.
But still...
Whoosh-
"Ha, you're cutting this down as well?"
I refuse to give up.
"Give up, martial artist. It seems you're somehow recycling your limited internal energy. If you stop your sword for even a single instant, you'll self-destruct from the recoil."
Makli Wangshin sneers, but I pay no heed.
I just keep swinging my sword.
Wind birds, wind dragons, wind unicorns, wind kirin, wind sharks...
Numerous spell forms assault me.
But I keep cutting, blocking, deflecting, counterattacking.
Thus, step by step, I approach.
Spurt!
My tendons, strained from the continuous moves, burst.
My arms are filled with pain as if it's tearing apart.
When the tendons snap, my arms lose strength.
But I connect the tendons with internal energy and again perform the sword moves.
Horizontal slash
Upward slash
Lower level slash
Smooth thrust
Spinning slash
Change in technique
Diagonal slash
Twist and nullify the attack
Diagonal slash flurry
Powerful downward slash
Varying speed upward slash
Shoot Sword Gang.
...
And then repeat it all from the beginning.
Crack!
What's that sound?
Yes, it must be my bones splitting.
But I do not stop.
"Give up!"
Rumble!
Makli Wangshin's words become a verbal spell, enveloping everything.
His voice, imbued with consciousness, makes the souls of my disciples in my upper dantian cry out.
Screech!
A horrific wail resounds in my head.
Behind me, my disciples who had been watching also clutch their heads and roll on the ground.
"Ha, you must have forcibly absorbed souls into your upper dantian to enhance your lacking talent. After all, there's no other way to mass-produce so many peak martial artists with mere mortals.
But, you know. For someone with the consciousness of a Qi Building cultivator, it's too easy to stimulate those vengeful spirits and incapacitate you all! Give up, you mortals will never be able to stand against cultivators!"
I'm just twenty steps away from Makli Wangshin.
Behind me is a trail of blood, shaped by my footsteps.
My internal energy is the same as before, but the slowly flowing blood is now gradually diminishing.
Between me and Makli Wangshin is the whirlwind he created.
Can I break through?
"How dare you! Get lost!"
Makli Wangshin's verbal spell shakes my mind again.
Hundreds of disciples' souls in my head scream, and I spurt blood from my nose and mouth.
My head turns white.
But even in this pain...
I keep moving my sword.
I've moved it thousands, tens of thousands of times.
Continuously training and practicing.
Even while teaching my disciples, I never let go of my sword!
Because I was attached.
Maybe even in death, I might keep swinging my sword.
So...
"I!!!"
This sword...
"Will not give up!!!"
I will not let go!
One step.
Another step.
One step.
One more.
Step by step, step by step, step by step...
Spewing blood from my mouth, unable to see ahead due to blood, but still, step by step.
I keep moving slowly.
But steadily.
Thus, I keep moving forward.
Splosh, splash!
Even the Jin Clan cultivators wandering in the air burst into blood rain one by one under Makli Wangshin's attack.
But only I keep steadily approaching him.
A look of dread emerges on Makli Wangshin's face.
The color of his consciousness reflects the same.
"Those behind me!"
Shiiik!
A wind blade from Makli Wangshin tears a chunk from my waist.
A terrifying wind tears the skin from my sword-wielding hand.
"I will not let them die!"
Boom!
The Sword Gang erupts from my sword, piercing Makli Wangshin's whirlwind.
I see his startled face.
"What, what is this...!"
Just then.
Suddenly, I see the seventh color that I've never been able to see before.
No, it's not 'seeing.'
It's 'knowing.'
'Ah, I see.'
Joy (喜)
Anger (怒)
Sorrow (哀)
Pleasure (樂)
Love (愛)
Hate (惡)
And finally.
Desire (欲)
My greatest desire was ultimately, life (生).
Therefore, the color of my desire was the color of life.
What color is life?
Look up at the void.
Life is full of colors, full of lives.
Life is essentially many colors, and therefore, it is complete in itself.
Hence, the color of life is infinitely transparent, colorless (無色).
'Because it is all colors, it is colorless.'
That's right.
I've been seeing my desire's color from the beginning.
Colorless (無色)!
Since it has no color, it is all colors, and I've been seeing all the colors of life from the beginning.
Realizing the color of life for the first time, I found the answer to the question I had been searching for.
How can humans know infinite colors?
How can humans reach beyond Three Flowers Gather at the Summit to Five Energies Converging to the Origin?
Simple.
In fact, humans, all beings, cannot be infinite.
We must acknowledge that infiniteness and accept the infinite variations of colors.
'Maybe my reluctance to send my disciples away, my obstruction of their desired vengeance, was just my obsession, arrogance, and ignorance. I never cared about their wishes from the beginning.'
In a world of infinite possibilities, one earns the right to see a new world.
At life's end, I shed my obsessions and arrogance. By acknowledging my own emotions, I finally recognized the feelings of my disciples.
My vision began to change.
The six most fundamental colors, plus the completely transparent colorless!
These seven hues merge together.
Mixing, transforming, integrating!
In this transformation, I see countless new colors, previously invisible.
Though I can't perceive all these infinite colors, I sense their essence.
What these colors represent, and how far I can see into this infinite realm of human emotion!
My soul's microcosm (小宇宙) opens, connecting with the heaven and earth!
An infinite spectrum of colors intertwine and fully integrate.
I now see the one color formed from all these hues.
Colorless!
The one color formed from all colors becomes completely transparent, starting to assimilate the surrounding space.
Till now, I've only perceived the flow of intent through sight and sensation.
Now, the flows between heaven and earth enter my mind through the space I've assimilated!
Information from all surrounding spaces seem graspable in my hand!
In this space of all-encompassing awareness, I launch a strike and take a step forward.
"How can a mere mortal awaken such consciousness!" exclaims Makli Wangshin in astonishment.
"Perish, you lowly mortal. How dare you step into the realm of Qi Refining!"
His consciousness resonates, and the spirits of my disciples scream within my mind.
Despite reaching this new realm, their agonizing cries still cause pain.
Yet, within their wails, I understand why I awakened the seventh color.
I can now hear them.
"Don't die.""Please live!""We wish for your survival!"
The voices of my deceased disciples aren't just cries; they're fervent desires.
The will to live!
The same yearning for life I always had.
These myriad voices have led me here.
I speak out, blood gushing, but undeterred, shouting with all my might.
My disciples, both the living and the departed, though my foolishness has caused you pain, now I will end this source of suffering.
"Survive!!!"
Survive and experience this beautiful, transparent life.
My Sword Gang shines with a brightness that cannot be compared to ever before.
Let your momentum rival the mountains, let your heart reach the heavens!
Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven!
I open every meridian, squeezing out the last vestige of Qi.
Only five steps from Makli Wangshin.
My Sword Gang pierces through Makli Wangshin's whirlwinds and defenses.
"Persistent vermin, you still defy me!"
He bellows, but to no avail.
He attempts to flee to the sky, but it does nothing but relieve my concern for his wide-area spells.
"Ha ha, once you go up to the sky, what can a guy like you do..."
There's no more internal energy left in my body.
But, I still have my willpower left!
Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts,
Ultimate Skill!
The final and ultimate technique pursued by Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts so far.
The last secret technique to create a slight chance to escape in front of a cultivator!
Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts (越修窮武錄)
"Endless Middle Path (路中路無窮)!"
All my intent converge into one point.
That point, like the speed of light, penetrates the consciousness of Makli Wangshin, and delves into his upper dantian.
"Aaaaagh!"
He grabs his head and falls back to the ground.
Starting by slicing through the domain of consciousness,
In the end, the Record delves into the deepest recesses of human consciousness, attacking the spirit itself, the ultimate skill!
A strike that directly attacks the opponent's mind with my mental strength.
An attack that could not be blocked by anything other than withstanding it with one's own mental strength.
Stride forward!
"This, this guy...!"
As he forms a hand seal, a sharp wind blade is shot towards me.
There's no more internal energy left.
I just slash with the most efficient movements!
Swoosh!
Both his wind blade and my sword shatter at the same time.
Stride forward!
Another step!
"Get away!"
Whoosh!
I throw a hidden weapon at his leg to prevent him from retreating.
Makli Wangshin, without a moment to form a spell seal, wildly spews out his spiritual power.
A violent windstorm approaches.
Not a speck of internal energy or strength left.
But, undeterred, I reach out my hand.
Dropping the hilt of my broken sword, I approach him through the wind.
Makli Wangshin, having lived for 298 years, felt fear at the hands of a mere martial artist for the first time.
He doesn't tire.
He doesn't know how to give up!
Makli Wangshin forcefully controlled the resentful spirits implanted by the Jin Clan, breaking through the Jin Clan's spells and inducing their outburst.
Despite the agonizing pain akin to being continuously beheaded, this madman doesn't give up!
Even if flesh is torn, blood vomited, or sword broken!
He doesn't give up and, somehow, even awakens a cultivator-like consciousness as a mere mortal.
"No, high-level spells aren't activating!"
Somehow, with the pain of his consciousness being carved out with a sword, part of his original spirit became damaged.
He was unable to use any of his high-level spells, which were ordinarily easy to execute with simple hand gestures.
He could still potentially cast high-level spells, but in his current state, he would need to perform the full ritual of forming hand seals and chanting mantras.
And right there, the monstrous martial artist reaches out his hand!
"Think! Think!"
He had defeated all the Jin Clan cultivators.
Just this leech-like martial artist is left, and victory was his.
"Right, he doesn't seem to have any Qi in his body!"
Makli Wangshin forcefully expels more spiritual power, pushing away Seo Eun-hyun with a violent wind.
"It's my victory!"
Just then, it happened.
The fundamental energy of heaven and earth began to stir.
"What's this...?"
Makli Wangshin, with a dumbfounded look, watched the flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy.
"The Five Elements Spiritual Energy..?"
The five basic strands of spiritual energy, floating in the air, began to form a circle.
Makli Wangshin's eyes widened.
"Could it be..."
He had seen it before.
Written in ancient texts.
A record that even mortals, through continuous training, can reach a state akin to a cultivator's Five Elements Spiritual Roots.
'The sudden awakening of consciousness...!'
The circular Qi containing the five strands of elemental spiritual energy, turned into five circles, swirling above Seo Eun-hyun's head.
Eventually, the five types of Qi crumbled into a multicolored energy.
The multicolored energy entered Seo Eun-hyun's nose and mouth.
'No, this can't be happening!'
A considerable amount of spiritual energy had appeared in the opponent who previously had none.
Seo Eun-hyun, who seemed almost dead, was now pushing through the violent wind.
Crash!
"Aaaargh!"
Seo Eun-hyun, breaking through the wind, grabbed both arms of Makli Wangshin.
Makli Wangshin screamed under his powerful grip.
"A lifetime of holding the sword til it crumbles."
Seo Eun-hyun's eyes met with Makli Wangshin's.
"Once I grab something, I never let go!"
Rumbling!
Makli Wangshin's face turned pale as a ghost.
A pure white light formed in the empty air.
Gang Qi began to form.
''I'm, I'm dying...!''
Flash!
The light exploded.
"....?"
Makli Wangshin slowly opened his tightly shut eyes.
He was alive.
"Gasp... Huff..."
Whoosh-
The cluster of light in the air dispersed.
The last spark of life had disappeared from Seo Eun-hyun's eyes.
"...Dead, huh..."
Eyes wide open.
Still holding onto Makli Wangshin's arms.
He died standing there, so fiercely.
"Ha, haha... So that's it."
Makli Wangshin forced a laugh as he observed Seo Eun-hyun's body with his consciousness.
"The backlash of forcefully maintaining energy! Hahaha, no wonder he wouldn't fall. Indeed, such a technique can't be without repercussions. Ha, haha..."
He was alive.
He had survived.
"Heh, heheh... I won, you mere mortal..."
Just as he was about to shout his victory.
The dust cloud rising around began to settle.
Beyond the dust, numerous figures stood.
"Ha, haha. What's this now? Aren't these the insignificant bugs that were hiding and trembling behind?"
Seo Eun-hyun's disciples.
They were trembling, grinding their teeth in anger.
Makli Wangshin, thinking Kim Young-hoon, the monstrous martial artist who had destroyed his body might have regained consciousness, checked his surroundings with his consciousness, but...
Kim Young-hoon was still lying down.
"Hahaha, no matter how many of you trash gather, what can you do! You're nothing compared to that guy I was just dealing with..."
Makli Wangshin clicked his tongue, thinking of extracting the vital essence of these trash to recover his life force.
Just as he was about to form a hand seal.
Suddenly!
"....!"
Seo Eun-hyun's corpse was still not letting go of his arms.
Despite being a corpse, his hands would not release.
'I can't feel my blood circulation!'
He couldn't even form a hand seal, let alone feel his hands!
Makli Wangshin desperately tried to form a foot seal or use the Yu Step Method (禹步法), but...
Even that was impossible, possibly due to the hidden weapons Seo Eun-hyun had thrown at his legs.
'Damn it!'
Makli Wangshin's triumphant expression twisted into a gruesome scowl.
His arms and legs were sealed, and due to the technique used by Seo Eun-hyun, his primordial spirit was damaged, preventing him from using high-level spells through his consciousness.
His options were running out.
"Cry out!"
Makli Wanghin's command activated the resentful spirits remaining in Seo Eun-hyun's disciples.
Yes, that can be done.
"Cry out...cry..."
Plop, pop-
Clear lights began to rise around Seo Eun-hyun, and also around his disciples.
Makli Wangshin knew exactly what it was.
"The spirits...? The spirit ascension technique...?"
The resentful spirits remaining in the disciples were being purified and ascending to heaven.
Both in Seo Eun-hyun's body, due to his death.
And in his disciples' bodies...
"Master, why... did you use your last for us..!"
Man-ho cried with tears flowing. Following him, many disciples started to weep, biting their lips.
Makli Wangshin realized something.
"Damn it, damn it..!"
The Gang Qi formed by Seo Eun-hyun at the last moment hadn't dispersed.
Instead of striking Makli Wangshin, it rapidly spread in hundreds of directions, penetrating the souls of his disciples.
At the final moment, he chose to break the spells engraved in his disciples' upper dantians instead of killing the enemy.
Makli Wangshin's face became desperate.
His hands, feet, and consciousness were all bound.
Even his verbal spell was denied!
Then, Man-ho, Kae-hwa, Cheong-ya, and others.
Countless disciples of Seo Eun-hyun, with tears, drew their weapons.
Even if Seo Eun-hyun had broken the spell, it wouldn't dissolve unless they themselves released their families.
But they heard it.
"Live!!!"
Seo Eun-hyun's voice.
The will to live within it.
The moment the spells imposed by the Jin Clan broke with the Gang Qi sent by Seo Eun-hyun,
Everyone felt Seo Eun-hyun's will.
"Leave the rest to us."
He entrusted the final blow to his disciples, believing in them.
Trust towards his disciples.
And the opportunity they dreamed of to strike down the Emperor.
Just to give them that chance.
"Just for that opportunity."
"You tell us to live, but how can we if you leave first!"
Only then did the disciples understand their master.
Just like how their master realized and understood their own stubbornness, they too understood the bitterness of leaving behind those they cherished.
"Get out of here, you mere mortals! You trash!"
Whoosh-
Makli Wangshin hastily unfolded a low-level defensive spell, but as about 300 peak masters continuously bombarded the barrier, it began to thin out.
"Oh no..! I'm a cultivator. I'm the founding emperor of Yanguo, a cultivator who has reached the peak of Qi Building! I am, I am..."
He looked with eyes filled with terror at the corpse of Seo Eun-hyun, still holding his arms.
Seo Eun-hyun's corpse, still glaring at him with eyes wide open.
Dead, yet his presence was as mighty as Mount Tai (太山).
"I am, I am..."
Beyond the mountains, there are endless mountains (山外山不盡),
And in the middle of the road, the path is endless (路中路無窮).
A single person might come to their end.
But what that person leaves behind never fades.
Crack!
Makli Wangshin's barrier shattered.
Beyond the barrier, the eyes of Seo Eun-hyun's disciples, inheriting his will and shining just like their deceased master, glared at Makli Wangshin.
Beyond the Mount Tai that was Seo Eun-hyun, the mountains continued unceasingly.
"I, I want to live.."
Man-ho's great sword decapitated Makli Wangshin.
Thud!
The life of Makli Wangshin who stubbornly survived by forcefully taking over his descendant, the current emperor Makli Jung, came to an end.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
The founding emperor Makli Wangshin.
And the current emperor Makli Jung.
Man-ho, having decapitated him, held Makli Jung's head and looked at the still-standing dead body of Seo Eun-hyun.
Seo Eun-hyun's corpse, with eyes now closed, had a faint smile of satisfaction.
"...You watched till the end."
Man-ho, with tears, laid Makli Wangshin's head before him.
And then, knelt down.
Kae-hwa, Cheong-ya, Yeok-san, Yeol-ya, Gwak-gisu...
All 300 or so disciples knelt down in turn.
"Please rest peacefully!"
Seo Eun-hyun's disciples bowed together, bidding their master a final farewell.