Questions and Experiments

"Master Tang, what was that light that came out of Myeol Mang?"

"That was the light of realization, Sung Ho. Eventually you will have one too, but I'm surprised that he had one in his sleep."

"How do realizations work Master Tang?"

"When you reach an understanding of martial arts, qi, or the world. Your body will respond by increasing the flow of the qi in the body, allowing you to attain far more internal energy than you normally would until that realization is over, that is why so many martial artists grow exponentially after one or two realizations."

"Ughhh, I can hear you guys you know…." Thomas muttered as he sat up on his bed.

"Myeol Mang, you're awake. May I ask what happened during your sleep?"

"I assume you mean how I got a realization, Master Tang?"

"Yes I mean how you attained a realization, you've had two realizations within a week of gaining access to internal energy. That is no small feat."

"If you must know, I saw a sword technique in my sleep that seemed nothing short of perfection."

"Encompassment of Perfection is it?"

"Yeah, though since you know what it's called I can guess you've had the same realization in the past?"

"Yes I've had that realization too, but not as early as you have Myeol Mang. And after this past week, I'm starting to understand why I couldn't see your potential."

"Well, that's great Master Tang, but if you'll excuse me I'd like to test out how much my internal energy has risen since the realization." Thomas said as he started to slide out of the bed.

"Very well. Sung Ho, come, we must return to your training."

"Yes, Master Tang. I'll talk to you later, Myeol Mang."

Watching as Jin Tang exited the room behind Sung Ho, Myeol Mang's head slowly drifted to the corner of the room.

"Hello again, Master."

---

"Sung Ho, you can go ahead to the training hall and start the regular training. I have to go discuss something with Seo Jun for a second."

"Yes, Master Tang." Sung Ho replied before walking towards the training hall.

After waiting for Sung Ho to disappear from his sight, Jin Tang swiftly moved from outside of Myeol Mang's room to the top of the martial library.

'The blacksmithing equipment is ready for Myeol Mang to use, and I can leave teaching him how to forge a blade to Seo Jun and Mi Yeon. But it's these slimy bastards that keep infiltrating my palace that I need to take care of.'

Fwiiip!

Thump!

Grabbing a masked man's unconscious body from atop the martial library's roof, Jin Tang leaped off the building and landed outside of the palace's walls.

'They've started sending more of these bastards every day. They're definitely after Sung Ho or Myeol Mang.' Jin Tang thought to himself while dragging the unconscious body behind him.

As Jin Tang stopped walking once he reached the backside of the palace walls, he placed his palm upon the stone wall.

Crack!

Removing his palm from the palace wall as a two meter tall section slowly slid into the rest of the wall, Jin Tang began to walk down the stairs hidden behind the palace walls.

'Maybe this person will give me some information. Unlike the last twenty bastards, this one has much more internal energy than before.' Jin Tang thought as he reached the bottom of the stairs, revealing a large room dimly lit by torches hanging on each of its walls.

Yet it was upon those walls that hung several pairs of chains, all coated in a crimson red liquid.

"Wake up!" Jin Tang exclaimed as he threw the unconscious body against the wall.

"Kuaakkkkk!"

"Yeah, that woke you up didn't it? You Demonic Cult scum, you've made an unfathomable mistake in trying to spy on my disciples."

"What is this place? How did I get down here?"

"Quit trying to buy time with your questions, it's time you realized this room will be the last place you ever see."

"Not if I kill you first!" The masked man howled angrily as he dashed towards Jin Tang.

"You fool."

Thud!

"KUAKK!"

Walking towards the masked man after punching him into the crimson stained wall, Jin Tang began cracking his knuckles one by one.

"As I said, this room will be the last you ever see."

---

"Hello again, Master."

"Hello again, Myeol Mang."

"So you're going to call me 'Myeol Mang' while in the memories Master?"

"Yes I am, and you will only call me Master, not Master Mang, not Myeol Mang, Master. That is how we will avoid confusion."

"Alright, so what are we going to do today?"

"Well, saying that you don't yet have a sword, I won't be training you until you finish forging a sword to train with."

"Oh, Master. Topic of swords, why were you using that pure white sword instead of Fallen Star?"

"You mean this sword?"

Heiiik!

Watching as the pure white sword appeared in his master's hand, Thomas nodded in agreement.

"Yes Master, that sword."

"Because it's easier to use, and I can make it whenever I want."

"What is that sword made of, Master?"

"This sword is made of True Qi."

"True Qi?"

"True Qi is the very qi of nature, yet it isn't the same as the internal energy martial artists take from nature, It is pure, concentrated power that normally, is unable to be destroyed."

"Normally? What's able to destroy a True Qi sword?"

"What do you think can destroy a True Qi sword?"

After pondering for a moment, Thomas then responded.

"Another True Qi sword?"

"Precisely, and it's for that reason that Lilly and Dominic didn't use True Qi swords themselves."

"Because the True Qi swords would destroy each other, leaving everyone in the fight without a weapon!"

"Good job Myeol Mang, now, I'm assuming you have a lot of questions, so I will answer them to the best of my ability."

"Thank you, Master. My next question is…"

---

"Have you decided to give up your information yet?"

"...."

"Did you pass out? Or are you just pretending so I don't beat you again?"

"....."

"Wake up!"

Crack!

"AGGGHHHHHH!"

"I knew you were awake you bastard, now are you going to tell me all the information you have or not?"

"....yu"

"Speak up, or I'll hit you again."

"Phuk yu!"

"So you refuse to give me any information, just like the previous captives. It looks like you get to meet the same fate as them then." Jin Tang said as he pointed to a misshapen pile of crimson red bodies.

"Ve're twained two vever spweak. Hust hill me…"

"Very well."

Shiiingg!

Thud!

---

"... Why did touching Fallen Star send me into the memories?"

"Ahhh so you're still curious about that huh? Well, you see, Fallen Star knows when it's being held by someone of my bloodline, that's what it meant by 'blood of Myeol'."

"So, when Fallen Star felt the connection between you and me though my blood, it sent me into the memories?"

"Exactly, but just because Fallen Star is a sword doesn't mean that you have to learn how to use the sword."

"Why do you say that?"

"Look at Lilly and Dominic, do they use Fallen Star?"

"No they don't…. Why don't they?"

"Because they have learned that to successfully escape the Transcendental Path, they must not follow what I did, as not everyone is meant to learn the sword."

"So I shouldn't learn how to use the sword?"

"I'm not saying that, if you genuinely want to learn how to use a sword then go ahead. But if you're only trying to learn how to use a sword because of Fallen Star, then take a good look at yourself and make a decision on what you really want to learn."

Taken aback by his Master's claims, Myeol Mang began to think of what he truly wanted.

'These past few days I've done nothing but follow the Transcendental Path's wishes, but what type of weapon do I truly want?'

"It seems like you need time to think about it, I'll leave you be until you're ready. When you're done thinking just call-."

"The sword."

"The sword huh?"

"I will continue with the sword for now."

"So you'll change your mind about your weapon of choice later, that's fine. But I warn you, if you change your mind too late it will be harder to learn a new weapon than now."

"Hopefully the need to change my mind doesn't come too late then."

"Yes, let's hope so. Do you have any more questions, Myeol Mang?"

"Yes, Master. From a scientific standpoint, can you explain to me how internal energy works?"

"Explain internal energy from a scientific standpoint? Now that, Myeol Mang, is a worthy question. And I will explain it to you in due time, but if I were to explain it to you now, you wouldn't understand it."

"I wouldn't understand it? I already have a decent understanding of how protons, neutrons and electrons work in the form of transferring energy, so why wouldn't I understand it?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm not saying that you wouldn't be able to understand the concept of it since you've already been exposed to protons, neutrons and electrons at such a young age. I meant to say that you wouldn't understand how the entire concept works in tandem to create the phenomenon that you know as 'internal energy'."

"Oh…. So it'll be more beneficial to learn it later than now?"

"Precisely, now is that the last of your questions we've already been talking for most of the time since you awoke."

"Only one more question, Master. How did you get the nickname, 'Vanquisher of Sects'?"