Chapter 82: Martial Artist
Kim Young-hoon always found Seo Eun-hyun irritating.
"I am a man without talent."
When was it?
It was after Kim Young-hoon had reached the Ultimate Pinnacle and sparred with Seo Eun-hyun.
Indeed, to Kim Young-hoon, Seo Eun-hyun seemed inferior in the realm of martial arts talent, especially in reading the flow of martial arts or creatively disrupting that flow.
Yet, ironically, Seo Eun-hyun had reached the Ultimate Pinnacle before Kim Young-hoon.
After falling into this world, Seo Eun-hyun had conversed with the monstrous Heaven Being cultivators.
Kim Young-hoon, since waking up in Yanguo after an old hunchback opened a spatial rift, had various martial arts and linguistic knowledge in his head, so he assumed Seo Eun-hyun was similar.
However, Seo Eun-hyun reached the Five Energies Converging to the Origin faster, using just his martial arts knowledge.
He even helped pull Kim Young-hoon up by teaching him martial arts.
Considering his colleagues' immense talents and his own natural sense for martial arts, he accepted this reality.
After proudly reaching the Ultimate Pinnacle, he found out that Seo Eun-hyun had reached the extreme of that realm.
Kim Young-hoon thought Seo Eun-hyun, though different in approach, had a natural talent too.
However, what Seo Eun-hyun said after their fight was astonishing.
He claimed he had no talent.
"If he has no talent, what does that make me? Someone who's not even garbage?"
Kim Young-hoon nearly burst out with those words but held back.
Moreover, Seo Eun-hyun was simultaneously mastering cultivation methods.
Not just one element with Heavenly Spiritual Root, but all Five Elements!
His pace in mastering these methods was similar to the promising late-stage Qi Refining cultivators of the Jin Clan, where Kim Young-hoon had briefly stayed.
But even those late-stage Qi Refining cultivators hadn't mastered multiple elemental methods simultaneously.
Upon reaching the Grand perfection of their stage, they typically stole Qi Building pills from the Makli Clan and transitioned to Qi Building.
But Seo Eun-hyun seemed to be forcing his breakthrough with all Five Elements of a Qi Refining method.
Yet he continued both his martial arts and cultivation training.
Kim Young-hoon also rose early and slept only after the moon was high.
But Seo Eun-hyun used a technique to forcefully stay awake for ten days straight without sleep.
Kim Young-hoon tried the same technique, but once the effects wore off, he spent days like a complete wreck.
It wasn't something ordinary willpower could achieve.
Seo Eun-hyun lacked the martial arts sense Kim Young-hoon had.
But he certainly had something else, something different, something Kim Young-hoon lacked.
"Everything I've done is part of my life. Just as heaven, earth, and man influence each other, what I've done influences my life.
If Kim Hyung understands his life, it will melt into your martial arts."
These were Seo Eun-hyun's words during an enlightening conversation after a spar.
Suddenly, Kim Young-hoon felt that Seo Eun-hyun, though younger, seemed like an elder who had lived a much longer life.
Simultaneously, Kim Young-hoon could organize his clues for the next realm through Seo Eun-hyun's words.
Years passed.
'This won't do.'
Kim Young-hoon gripped his saber.
Initially, he felt he could reach the extreme at any time and easily reach every realm.
He had talent, after all!
He instinctively refrained from sharing this, but his martial arts talent stemmed from a certain 'sense' he felt upon arriving in this world.
Following this sense, he believed he would eventually reach the extreme.
But it wasn't so.
Decades after reaching the Ultimate Pinnacle.
He trained and retrained, following Entering Heavens Beyond the Path Martial Arts, which described the realm beyond the Ultimate Pinnacle.
Yet, the wall was still too thick and impenetrable.
'What must I do...'
Even with his talent, the next wall seemed too high and rugged.
It appeared unreachable.
One late night, while wielding his saber, Kim Young-hoon heard a strange sound from Seo Eun-hyun's training cave.
With his hearing, honed to a delicate extent from having an Inner Core, he could hear what was happening in Seo Eun-hyun's cave, dozens of yards away.
It wasn't the usual sound of Seo Eun-hyun training in martial arts or cultivation in the middle of the night.
Crackling…groaning...
Sounds like gasping for air.
Kim Young-hoon entered the Shattered Heaven Peak cave, thinking something had happened.
'Has he used that technique to awaken his mind and train again?'
Seo Eun-hyun often used the technique to drive away sleep and train for days, occasionally fainting.
Of course, after fainting, Seo Eun-hyun would quickly get up, regain consciousness, realize he had fainted, and then properly sleep to recover his body.
'It seems he fainted longer this time...'
Recently, Seo Eun-hyun had indeed been pushing his body harder.
A cultivator could know their own lifespan, and Seo Eun-hyun mentioned there wasn't much left for him.
Kim Young-hoon went deep into the cave to find Seo Eun-hyun.
There, he found Seo Eun-hyun, fainted while standing with his sword drawn.
'This state again.'
Seo Eun-hyun had fainted during training, foaming at the mouth and eyes rolled back.
"Tsk, he should take it easy."
Kim Young-hoon was about to wake Seo Eun-hyun when suddenly...
Seo Eun-hyun, still fainted, swung his sword.
While unconscious, he continued to move.
Seo Eun-hyun refined the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship from start to finish, then began practicing cultivation in a seated position.
It was astounding how he could complete his regular training regimen even while unconscious.
His body, his life, his energy remembered it.
Kim Young-hoon stood dumbfounded, watching Seo Eun-hyun train while unconscious.
Seo Eun-hyun continued until dawn.
Only when the morning sun rose did Kim Young-hoon come to his senses and wake Seo Eun-hyun.
"Eun-hyun, you fainted again. Wake up."
"...Ah, ah...ugh!"
Seo Eun-hyun regained consciousness, clutching his heart, and looked around.
"...Ah, I see. Sorry, Kim Hyung. I should rest my body."
"...Eun-hyun."
Kim Young-hoon looked at Seo Eun-hyun and asked.
"Why push yourself so hard? Isn't this too much?"
To that, Seo Eun-hyun bitterly laughed and said,
"I have no talent. Without talent, in order to reach high places, one must be willing to die even in the evening."
"..."
The willingness to die even in the evening.
After saying that, Seo Eun-hyun collapsed into his sleeping quarters, but to Kim Young-hoon, it felt like a heavy blow to his head.
'What have I been doing all this time?'
For the first time, he felt lazy.
While he had endlessly strived for the next realm,
'Maybe... what I've been doing was just self-satisfaction.'
Without the readiness to die, had he ever thought beyond his current state?
Kim Young-hoon clenched his saber until it nearly shattered.
'The founder of Entering Heavens Beyond the Path Martial Arts ascended only after being ready to die, what have I been doing?'
He felt wronged.
Regretted the time wasted.
'As a martial artist, I tried to reach the next realm without even being ready to face death...?'
He was too ashamed to lift his face.
He returned to his training ground, grasped his saber, and took his stance.
"Right, let's die."
With the resolve to die, he aimed to surpass.
Until now, he had only verbalized enlightenment.
From now on, he will be different. Ready to face life and death, he would truly strive!
From that day, Kim Young-hoon stopped sleeping.
He didn't eat.
He concentrated his talent to the extreme, focusing solely on his saber.
Forgetting the flow of time, the sensation of pain, he lost himself in the joy of martial arts training.
Then, he reached Entering Heavens Beyond the Path.
Surpassing Radiant Saber of Entering Heavens Beyond the Path.
The name Surpassing Radiant Saber contained his wish to return home faster than light.
But it also meant surpassing a person who had loomed like a mountain in Kim Young-hoon's heart.
That person was Seo Eun-hyun.
Kim Young-hoon finally stands, wielding what he had built, facing the man before him.
'No talent?'
Will he even know much of a deception that is to those below him?
'You have strived, Seo Eun-hyun.'
Far more than Kim Young-hoon can imagine.
How shocked he was the first time he observed his heart essence.
Striving as if willing to die in the evening.
The heart essence Kim Young-hoon had while striving for 50 days is basic for Seo Eun-hyun.
'Even if you truly lack talent, with that much effort, you deserve confidence.'
No, he should be confident.
That's the respect someone who has reached that level can show to those below.
Therefore, Kim Young-hoon is rather pleased when Seo Eun-hyun, having obtained the Formless Sword, looks down on him.
'I have no advantage other than speed?'
Right.
If it's Seo Eun-hyun, he deserves to say so.
He has every right to say so, having worked so hard that it pains even the onlookers.
'But, Seo Eun-hyun.'
Kim Young-hoon takes his stance, gripping his saber.
'Even if speed is all I have, I intend to surpass you this time.'
Seo Eun-hyun's martial arts.
Seo Eun-hyun's will.
The effort he has put in!
'I will surpass them!'
That's what it means to be a martial artist!
"Here I go!"
Time seems to split.
Golden radiance swirls as Kim Young-hoon's saber targets Seo Eun-hyun's neck.
'I can't give Formless Sword any chance to react!'
Strike first to gain the advantage!
In the next instant, Seo Eun-hyun's intent resounds in his consciousness.
The sword technique he uses, along with the Formless Sword, lunges forward.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Layered Mountains.
The Formless Sword spreads in all directions like thorns.
A sword free of all shapes and constraints!
Seo Eun-hyun is surrounded by an invisible barbed fence.
'Tear apart!'
Kim Young-hoon quickly retreats.
Swish!
Just by approaching and retreating, he is already scratched all over.
Seo Eun-hyun's intent resonates again.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Landscape Painting.
The Formless Sword Gang spreads in all directions, slashing everything around.
The Formless sword, extending and shrinking in unpredictable orbits, spreads destruction within a radius of about 18 meters.
Seo Eun-hyun's technique continues.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Mountain and Valley Transformation, Mountain Tiger.
The Formless Sword Gang burrows below and erupts, collapsing the terrain, and converges towards Kim Young-hoon.
Kim Young-hoon, merging with the Surpassing Radiant Saber, turns into a beam of light, dodging the Formless Sword Gang, then retreats to a stable ground to confront Seo Eun-hyun.
Seo Eun-hyun emphasizes the basics. In the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship dispersed by the Formless Sword, none goes against martial principles.
Each is true to the foundation and essence of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Joy of Mountains and Peaks.
Boom!
Seo Eun-hyun, using the Formless Sword, starts rushing towards Kim Young-hoon.
The Formless Sword Gang roams freely, charging at Kim Young-hoon.
'I can't dodge.'
He needs to penetrate through.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Mountain Bird!
Kim Young-hoon turns into a ray of light again.
Speed is a tremendous advantage in combat.
Seo Eun-hyun had provoked him, but if the Surpassing Radiant Saber's potential is fully realized, it can potentially far surpass the Formless Sword.
The essence of the Surpassing Radiant Saber is in the instant, while the essence of the Formless Sword is its trajectory.
The colorless trajectory, changing freely in the void and striking down, is unpredictable.
'But change means there will be strengths and weaknesses.'
If there's a strong part, there must be a weak part.
Kim Young-hoon concentrates.
He needs to analyze the formless trajectory in an instant and approach Seo Eun-hyun by flowing through the weakest part.
Otherwise, Seo Eun-hyun will have an overwhelming advantage at a distance due to his larger consciousness.
He has to get close for a chance to win.
Whizz!
Severing Vein Saber Method, Mountain Bird unfolds, and Kim Young-hoon dances with the Golden Saber Gang.
Graceful.
With light-footed grace, he strikes the weakest flow of the Formless Sword Gang.
Boom!
When the weakest flow of the Formless Sword Gang collides with Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Saber...
"....!"
Kim Young-hoon narrowly avoids internal injury.
'Insane, this is the weakest part?'
Even though he didn't face it head-on but glided to divert its trajectory,
The difference in power is clear.
'Is this what it means to transition from Qi Refining to Qi Building...?'
Seo Eun-hyun's entire body emits Gang Qi, endlessly powering the Formless Sword.
'What a monster!'
Yet, Kim Young-hoon does not stop Mountain Bird and continues to glide past Seo Eun-hyun's Sword Gang, approaching him like a dancing Golden Peng
The Peng pierces through the formless storm to face its core.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Mountain Wind!
Whoosh!
A ray of light, with the fastest technique, shoots forth.
The Formless Sword, which had been scattered in all directions until a moment ago, suddenly transforms.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Echoing Valley.
The Formless Sword whirls like a fearsome storm, gripping the ray of light.
The trajectory of the Surpassing Radiant Saber is caught by the Formless Sword, spun around, and then hurled back at Kim Young-hoon.
Kim Young-hoon narrowly dodges his own rebounding attack and moves behind Seo Eun-hyun.
The rebounding ray of light passes where Kim Young-hoon had just been and stikes the cliff behind him.
Boom!
The cliff fractures like a spiderweb, and a thunderous explosion resounds.
Shivers run down Kim Young-hoon's forearm as he prepares for the next attack.
'Normally, it wouldn't have such power...'
The power mixed and rebounded by Seo Eun-hyun transformed into that formidable force.
Kim Young-hoon feels like he is single-handedly fighting a storm.
'Severing Vein Saber Method alone won't win.'
He needs to mobilize all his talent.
If he doesn't evolve in this instant, he is doomed!
Kim Young-hoon's mind races on ways to win, and he creates a new martial art.
Movement Technique, Seven Color Evasion!
Whoosh!
Kim Young-hoon's movements change, and the Surpassing Radiant Saber morphes into seven colors.
In the next instant, Kim Young-hoon's form splits into seven, attacking Seo Eun-hyun from above, below, and all sides, penetrating the blind spots of the Formless Sword.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Bouldered Cliff!
The Formless Sword coalesces around Seo Eun-hyun, spinning like a whirlpool.
Offense and defense became one, and the size of the Formless Sword creates a storm-like effect in all directions.
Six of Kim Young-hoon's forms burst immediately, but his real form, penetrating the blind spot, swings his saber at Seo Eun-hyun.
'This strike isn't enough.'
The Formless Sword will morph to protect Seo Eun-hyun in the next moment.
Even the weakest part of the Formless Sword is difficult to cut through with the Surpassing Radiant Saber's attack power.
'Next martial art!'
Kim Young-hoon's face turns red as if burning.
Blood rushes to his brain.
A new martial art is created.
A technique to surpass the speed and power of the Surpassing Radiant Saber in one instant.
Forty-four Continuous Strikes.
In a flash, forty-four slashes are unleashed, concentrated with efficiency beyond Layered Mountains, amplifying the force immensely.
Seo Eun-hyun choses to counterattack instead of defending.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Flowing Ridge.
The Formless Sword smoothly pierces through Kim Young-hoon's new martial art.
Normally, Flowing Ridge is a move to softly stab and make defense difficult, not known for its attack power.
However, when Flowing Ridge collides with the Forty-four Continuous Strikes, magnified dozens of times more powerful than the original Surpassing Radiant Saber, Kim Young-hoon spits blood and is blown away.
Bang!
While being flung away, Kim Young-hoon kicks off the air to regain his stance, laughing bitterly.
'Even after creating a martial art to divert 30% of its power, I end up like this.'
Even a slight brush can shatter his bones entirely.
'The versatility of the Formless Sword is almost infinite.'
Kim Young-hoon ponders.
'But Seo Eun-hyun's imagination isn't infinite.'
Moreover, Seo Eun-hyun's Formless Sword is adapted to Severing Mountain Swordsmanship and changes only within that framework.
'I need to create a martial art specifically to counter Severing Mountain Swordsmanship!'
Flash!
'Let's play!'
A golden radiance flashes, and in an instant, it strikes Seo Eun-hyun, with both exchanging hundreds to thousands of clashes per second.
Sword marks, saber scars fly in all directions.
Every time Seo Eun-hyun uses Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Kim Young-hoon references several martial arts on the spot to counter it, and they are evenly matched for a while.
Kim Young-hoon's injuries multiply.
Meanwhile, Seo Eun-hyun remains unscathed.
Kim Young-hoon, despite gasping for breath, still smiles.
"Indeed..."
An overwhelming disadvantage.
An insurmountable mountain!
That is the man before him.
"The best!"
He is annoyed with Seo Eun-hyun.
How can someone who reaches this realm not believe in themselves, hiding behind a lack of talent!
Flash!
Kim Young-hoon's head spins to the point of overload, and blood bursts from his nose.
Creating three martial arts simultaneously, he approaches Seo Eun-hyun again.
Their eyes meet.
Seo Eun-hyun is also smiling.
500 years.
For 500 years, Seo Eun-hyun has never truly surpassed Kim Young-hoon
Especially the Kim Young-hoon, who after 50 years, has always become a monster.
Both feel the same way at this moment.
"I shall!" (Seo Eun-hyun)
"I will!" (Kim Young-hoon)
The two martial artists exclaim simultaneously.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Qi Mountain Heart Heaven
Severing Vein Saber Method Variant, Mountain Earthquake
Applied Martial Art, Mountain Goblin
Created Martial Art, Tearing the Void
Created Martial Art, Twelve Light Streams Slash
The streak of radiance and the void shines brightly.
"Win!" (Seo Eun-hyun)
"Surpass!" (Kim Young-hoon)
The next moment, the Formless Sword swells to over sevenfold its size, engulfing the space with its formidable presence, while the Surpassing Radiant Saber, with unerring precision, targets Seo Eun-hyun's unseen vulnerability.
Suddenly, the world erupts in a blinding inferno of light.