Chapter 32: Life (7)
On the day of the decisive battle, during the waiting time outside the Imperial City, I began to read a book carefully.
"Hmm, but why did you ask for that?"
Kim Young-hoon asked, looking puzzled as he saw me reading.
The book I was reading had no title. It was a manuscript written by Kim Young-hoon.
In the first regression, Kim Young-hoon, who became the best martial artist in the world and reached the Five Energies Converging to the Origin realm, created the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts in order to allow martial artists to escape from cultivators.
The Record was further improved upon and evolved into the Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts by the second regression Kim Young-hoon. It was meant to give martial artists a lifeline against cultivators.
The Record became Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts Scripture after the third regression Kim Young-hoon added 6 volumes regarding his insights fighting and escaping from cultivators.
The fourth regression Kim Young-hoon integrated and simplified the six volumes into the Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts which paved the way for a new realm.
The nameless book I was reading right now was the evolved version of the Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, further advanced by this regression's Kim Young-hoon through endless battles against cultivators.
If the Scripture and Secrets discussed transition from the Five Energies to the next realm, the nameless book detailed the 'extreme resentment' (極恨) seen in the new realm
Of course.
'I don't understand even when I'm reading it.'
The complexity of this martial art system, evolved again from the Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, was beyond my comprehension.
Kim Young-hoon, noticing my struggle, clicked his tongue and said.
"You don't need to force yourself to understand. This is not a completed martial art."
"Not completed?"
"Mhmm, martial arts should be passed down. Even though I've become an unparalleled great master, I will die someday. But my martial arts live on as my legacy, proving my existence. Thus, the completion of a martial art is in its transmission," he explained, glancing at the book in my hand.
"Its minimum entry requirement is Five Energies Converging to the Origin. Just as a first-rate cannot understand the world of the pinnacle and an early peak cannot understand the world of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit. Anyone below Five Energies cannot comprehend this martial art system. It's incomplete because it can't be properly transmitted."
"Hmm, so it's complete but incomplete due to its extremely high entry barrier?" I summarized.
"Right. This martial art needs to be adapted so that it can be understood even by those at the level of Three Flowers..."
As I listened, I smiled slyly.
"Is there a need for that? In my opinion, just give it to a warrior who can reach the Five Energies or someone with Kim Hyung's level of talent. There's no need to simplify it for them."
"Haha, Eun-hyun. Talent like mine in martial arts comes once in a thousand years. I assure you, my talent is almost implausibly high..."
"Hmm, that is true."
This is how I felt seeing him evolve his martial arts to a new realm every regression and faster each time.
'But don't worry, Kim Hyung. I'll pass down this martial art to you in the next regression"
His martial arts will always be passed down without the need for simplification.
Because I will always ensure its transmission
"...Anyway, how about naming this martial art?" I suggested.
"Hmm, a name," he pondered and then smiled.
"Gazing at cultivators (眺修), eventually surpassing the limits of martial arts (越武), and condensing these Secrets (訣). The creator of Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts (眺修越武訣) probably spent his life just observing cultivators, and that's how it ended. He could never surpass them.
However, I have surpassed the Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts and discovered the possibility of surpassing cultivators. With my current level, I won't be inferior in a battle against late-stage Qi Building cultivators! If I ambush a Core Formation cultivator, I can inflict significant injuries..."
He wrote characters in the air. The energy flowing from his fingertips beautifully illuminated the void.
"Surpassing cultivators (越修), surpassing the martial arts framework (越武) and recording (錄) the achievements!"
Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts(越修越武錄).
That was the name of the newly evolved martial arts record.
'Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts...'
Reminiscent of the combination of Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts. Seeing the name, I recalled the Young-hoons of the 1st and 2nd regressions.
Their unfulfilled wishes were slowly being realized.
With a slow smile, I put the fully read Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts in my chest pocket. Having memorized the Record, I could pass it on again, even if I died today.
"Let's go, Kim Hyung."
"Yes, it's about time."
Today, the Imperial Family of Yanguo will change.
Whoooosh!
In the skies above Seokyung City, blue and red lights flashed. It signaled the end of the agreement between the Jin and Makli Clans.
'Now, we just need to enter.'
Flash!
Blue lights burst from the eastern, western, southern, and northern gates of Seokyung City.
At the same time, red lights also burst from the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast directions.
Lights from the Makli and Jin Clan cultivators intermingled above the city, casting their magical influence over Seokyung City.
Rumble...
A barrier conjured by the two cultivator clans enveloped the city. As it formed, ordinary pedestrians began to stagger and collapse.
Anyone below the mid first-rate lost consciousness and fell on the streets, while late first-rate warriors barely resisted the barrier's influence with their weapons.
But even they would succumb if they lost focus for even a moment.
Now, only the masters who had entered the world of intent remained conscious inside Seokyung City.
Even among them, those who had recently entered the Pinnacle Realm and couldn't constantly operate in the world of intent would soon faint.
'Terrifying.'
The terror of cultivators wasn't just about individual strength. It was about their formations and mystical abilities!
A formation powerful enough to seize a city in an instant, laid by just eight Qi Building cultivators.
Even that was because the Jin and Makli Clan cultivators were mutually restraining each other. In reality, just four of them could have set up this formation.
'No wonder they treat ordinary people like insects. They wouldn't even acknowledge or listen to us.'
But still...
There is basic human decency.
Being born human, asserting oneself as a human, there are obligations that come with it.
I clenched my teeth, recalling the atrocities of the Makli Clan.
'As long as I can, I will stop you.'
Swoosh!
As soon as the barrier formed, I used my movement technique towards the Imperial City. Simultaneously, my disciples and Kim Young-hoon's followers, who were lying in wait around Seokyung City, picked up their weapons and moved out.
Additionally, over a hundred cultivators from the Jin Clan in red robes flew above us on their flying devices.
Whirr!
Inside the barrier of Seokyung City, a deep blue barrier spread around the Imperial Palace.
The defensive barrier looked thick at first glance.
Inside, cultivators from the Makli Clan in blue robes strengthened the formation and prepared their spells.
Just then, Kim Young-hoon took flight.
Boom, boom!
He stepped on the air, rising, and stretched out his hand.
"Everyone, prepare to enter!"
His voice seemed to cover the entire Seokyung City.
Kim Young-hoon, floating in the air, gently extended his palm.
A round sphere of Gang Qi emerged from his hand.
'That is...'
I observed the new realm he had achieved.
The bright sphere split into three.
Three Gang Qi spheres!
But they split again around Kim Young-hoon, forming nine spheres.
Nine Gang Spheres lined up behind him.
Then, they arranged around him.
Bang, bang, bang!
The nine spheres struck the barrier over the Imperial Palace, creating nine holes.
"Enter!!"
Crash!
The Jin Clan cultivators threw their talismans which stuck to the holes in the barrier, preventing its repair.
The cultivators from the Makli Clan seemed surprised by the size of the openings created by Kim Young-hoon's strike.
Swoosh!
I used Mountain Lord's Soaring Flight, scaling the outer wall of the Imperial Palace and entering through the hole Kim Young-hoon had made.
"A mortal has entered! Block..."
Severing Vein Saber Method, Mountain Wind!
Thud!
My piercing strike, filled with Sword Gang, penetrated the shouting Makli cultivator's mouth, creating a hole in his medulla.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Ninth Move.
Landscape Painting.
Boom, boom, boom!
My sword filled with Sword Gang wildly slashed in every direction.
Though it seemed haphazard, each strike followed the optimal trajectory!
Each perfect trajectory smashed the defensive spells of the lower-grade cultivators of the Makli Clan, tearing their bodies apart.
In the hole at the outer wall of the Imperial Palace where I was located, a mist of blood formed around me in an instant.
"Ugh, a peak martial artist! Everyone, use the Jiangshi as shields and prepare spells from the rear!"
Screech, screech!
Thus, the battle unfolded with an intensity that shook the very foundations of Seokyung City.
Second Move, Entering Mountain (入山).
Fourteenth Move, Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven (氣山心天).
Connecting Technique (連繫技).
Qi Mountain's Entry Path (氣山入路)!
Whoosh!
Switching to a lower stance, I opened up the meridians, expanding the force of my energy and slicing widely through my opponents.
Swish Boom!
In a single move, the attacking Jiangshi had their legs severed and fell to the ground.
'Deep Mountain (深山). Ascending Vein (登脈).'
Charging in with Mountain Lord's Soaring Flight, I entered the embrace of a cultivator chanting from behind, and cut him upwards.
Crack!
My Sword Gang pierced through the cultivator's defensive spell, splitting his body diagonally.
''Ah, ah... How can this mortal...!''
The other astounded cultivators used some kind of spell.
Swoosh!
Fwoom!
Boom!
A water orb and wind blades, along with a yin ring, were cast towards me from different directions.
'Secluded Valley (幽谷).'
Along with Secluded Valley, I used Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts to penetrate the intents behind the spells, twisting the direction of their power.
Rotating in place, I neutralized all three spell attacks.
The spells didn't even brush my clothes.
''What, what...''
'Bouldered Cliff (塊巖).'
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Crack!
Spinning in place, I shot circular Sword Gang at the confused cultivators.
Before they could use another spell, they were shredded by my Sword Gang breaking through their defenses.
Flesh and blood sprayed in all directions, filling the air with the scent of blood.
My commotion drew the attention of all the cultivators.
"Stop that martial artist first!"
"Deploy all the Jiangshi!"
"Drive him out!"
Hundreds of Jiangshi, oozing with poison, rushed towards me.
Meanwhile, others began to enter through the hole behind me.
Boom!
314 of my disciples, each armed, lined up behind me.
"Clean up. I'll go inside first."
After giving a brief order, I headed below the outer wall.
Led by Man-ho, my disciples nodded briefly before clashing with the horde of Jiangshi.
Whoosh!
I jumped down from the outer wall.
A cool wind rose from below.
And then.
Boom!
A spear was hurled at me with a breaking sound.
'It's awkward to dodge, and if I parry in mid-air, I'm at a disadvantage.'
Quick judgment.
In an instant, I swung my sword against the outer wall.
Crack!
After emitting sword silk and embedding my sword into the wall, I used it as a support to leap up again.
Then, I powered my legs and deflected the spear with a spin.
Clang!
My counterattack, optimally executed, sent the spear flying back, and I quickly pulled my sword from the wall, using Heavy Fall Technique to quickly land on the ground.
Martial artists, including the one who threw the spear at me, started to gather around.
"Ah, long time no see, everyone."
"Shut up, villain! We've never seen someone like you!"
Faces I had seen during my time in the Shadow Guards.
The chief and deputy chief of the Imperial Outer Defense Force, the admiral and deputies of the Golden Army, and the generals of the United Guard.
Faces I had occasionally seen.
Although their relationship with the Shadow Gaurds was indifferent, as we were supposed to hide in the shadows.
'It's a bit tricky to kill them.'
They were just following orders. What fault did they have?
Each was simply acting out of the loyalty they were taught.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you."
It's harder not to kill cultivators due to their defensive spells.
But against these people, it's much easier.
Fling!
Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique, Straight Snake!
The quickly thrown weapon lodged in the shoulder of the Outer Defense Force chief.
Coated with poison, he would soon be paralyzed.
I took an antidote from my pocket and scattered paralysis powder in all directions.
Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique, Illusionary Snake Mist!
Several weapons accurately grazed the bodies of the deputy chief and United Guard generals beyond the paralysis powder.
I coated my sword tip with poison, and using Deep Mountain, I lunged at the generals of the United Guard and the admiral of the Golden Army, lightly cutting their skin.
What remained were the deputies of the Golden Army.
Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique, Double Killing Snake
Swish, swish!
Two weapons flew in different trajectories towards them, and in that moment, I re-grasped my sword stance.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Mountain Wind!
Fling!
A rapid thrust pierced the deputies trying to block the hidden weapons, and the poison on my sword tip entered their bodies, causing them to collapse soon after.
'They're not fatally poisoned, so they can be detoxified later in the Imperial Medical Hall. The Imperial physician is a bit better than me, so he should be able to decipher the mixture.'
I left the twitching peak masters lying in foam behind me and surveyed the layout of the surrounding buildings.
'The emergency shelter for the Emperor in case of emergency is the Hidden Dragon Hall. Officially, that is.'
But as the former deputy-leader of the Shadow Guards who closely guarded the Emperor, I knew.
'The actual shelter is the Glowing Scenery Pavilion, located beyond the northwest corner of the Imperial City...'
During my time in the Shadow Guards, I didn't understand why I had to guard a cultivator emperor.
Nor did I understand why such a shelter existed.
After all, neither the commoners' rebellion nor the army could match up to them, so why the need for such a shelter?
But now I understand.
'It's a place prepared in case other cultivator clans conspire to usurp the Imperial Throne.'
Screech!
More Jiangshi than I saw from the outer wall screamed and rushed towards me.
Easily hundreds in number.
Apparently, they were just released en masse to entangle any intruders.
Snap-
How many people were sacrificed to create these Jiangshi?
I gritted my teeth and gripped my sword.
'It should be about time now...'
Thud!
At that thought, my disciples jumped down from the outer wall below.
"Any casualties?"
"None at all."
"Thank you. Have you cleaned up everything?"
"We've only dealt with the Jiangshi; the remaining Makli cultivators are engaged in combat with the martial arts experts brought by Sir Kim and the Jin Clan cultivators."
"Good, from now on, everyone will follow me. We will go to where the Emperor is."
"Yes!"
At my words, my disciples shouted excitedly.
"First, we break through the Jiangshi horde. Since they're just to entangle us, there's no need to kill them all. Everyone, form a wedge!"
Leading the way, my disciples lined up behind me in a triangular formation.
"Let's break through!"
"Yes!!!!!"
Peak masters of this level, with their internal energy, is equivalent to a cavalry in terms of power and speed.
Although fewer in number, their strength and speed are in no way inferior.
I ran ahead, allowing my disciples to follow, infusing my sword with Sword Gang.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Fourth Move.
"Flowing Ridge(流陵)!"
As I called out the sword moves, just like we practiced during training, my disciples assumed their appropriate stances and connected their positions.
While a standard formation typically unifies weapons, to peak masters who can read intent, such variability is not a flaw.
Instead, they break through by compensating for each other's weaknesses!
Boom!
Initially a straightforward stabbing technique, it transformed with the force of breakthrough, erupting like a clash of chariots, shattering the Jiangshi before us.
Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven!
I opened my meridians wide and pulled forth even more Sword Gang.
Rumble!
Leading from the front, I mowed down the Jiangshi, making my way through.
The disciples on my flanks also infused energy into their weapons, shaking off and breaking through the Jiangshi.
Hundreds of peak masters carved a path through the black ocean of Jiangshi.
'This is it!'
As we tore through, the dividing wall of the Imperial Palace came into view.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Mountain and Valley Transformation!
Unleashing Sword Gang, I demolished the wall and altered the nearby landscape. I then positioned myself at the forefront and made my way through the collapsed wall.
My disciples on the flanks quickly closed in from a wedge formation to a parallel 'I' formation.
Following through the gap I created, my disciples streamed in like a tail.
Entering through the wall, the Imperial Garden, Guhwawon, came into sight.
'Formations lie ahead.'
Fortunately, they weren't too strong, and I knew all the life gates of the formations. (Life gates in cultivation stories are basically the exit points in formations and arrays)
"Everyone, follow exactly behind me!"
Recalling the life gates spread around Guhwawon, I stepped through them, unraveling the formations as I went.
My disciples followed precisely, and the Jiangshi, lacking this knowledge, aimlessly entered Guhwawon but couldn't penetrate the interior, just circling around.
At the edge of Guhwawon, another wall appeared.
Having already shaken off the Jiangshi, instead of hastily breaking the wall, I used Mountain Lord's Soaring Flight to leap over it and landed on the other side.
A quiet, small pavilion floated on a little lake, devoid of people.
My disciples also streamed in behind me.
"...Master, there's no one here..."
Without a word, I raised my Sword Gang and launched it towards the pavilion.
Boom!
Simultaneously, my Sword Gang collided with an invisible barrier around the pavilion and dissipated.
"This is the place! Kae-hwa, shoot the flare!"
Before I finished speaking, a crackling sound came from behind and a flare shot up into the sky.
Whoosh - Bang!
A five-colored cloud exploded in the sky.
Simultaneously, about five Jin Clan cultivators in red robes flew towards us on their flying devices.
"The Emperor is here!"
"Well done! We'll dismantle the formation!"
The Jin Clan cultivators, still on their flying devices, took positions around the pavilion and cast their spells.
Flash!
A bright light burst, shattering the invisible wall, revealing the Emperor and the Palace Guards, previously hidden in the pavilion.
Dozens of cultivators in blue robes from the Makli Clan were waiting in the pavilion.
The face of Makli Jung twisted like a vengeful ghost.
"Damn it! How did you find this place? Only the Palace Guards and the Shadow Guards know about the Glowing Scenery Pavilion!"
Boom!
As Makli Jung shouted, one of the Jin Clan cultivators who had dismantled the formation launched another flare.
This time, a white smoke cloud.
A signal that the Emperor has been confirmed to be found.
At the same time.
Boom!
Dozens of Jin Clan cultivators who were pushing back the Makli Clan cultivators on the outer wall began flying towards us.
The Jin Clan cultivators arriving at the lake quickly took up positions.
As light burst forth, they formed a formation.
"Heat!"
Roar!
A fireball the size of ten meters appeared in the sky.
"Go!"
Simultaneously, the fireball created by the Jin Clan's formation plunged towards the pavilion.
Rumble!
Besides the illusion formation hiding its appearance, several other barrier formations, seemingly layered, enveloped the pavilion in a blue sphere.
Hiss-
However, the fireball evaporated all the water around the pavilion, wrapping the area in steam.
Through the steam, wind and yin spells shot towards the Jin Clan cultivators in the sky.
The Makli Clan cultivators inside the barrier started to move out.
A Jin Clan cultivator cast a spell and shouted at me.
"Hey, mortal! We'll handle the cultivators; you break through the Palace Guards! The barrier is weakened enough by the previous attack; you should be able to penetrate it with your Sword Gang!"
"Understood!"
I responded to the Jin Clan cultivator and dived into the now-dry lake towards the pavilion.
As I neared the pavilion,
Bang!
A halberd thrust out from the shadow beneath the pavilion.
Clang!
I deflected the halberd and smiled at my opponent.
"Leader of the Shadow Guard, Tiger Slaughtering Halberd, Kwak Il-guk. Long time no see."
note:
Regarding the part about 'Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Marital Arts' being a combination of the previous records is because Exceeding, Transcending, and Surpassing are all the same word in the raws. So the direct translation of the new martial art would be 'Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Surpassing Martial Arts' or 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts', a combination of the words 'Transcending Cultivation' and 'Exceeding Martial Arts.' Of course, I translated it as Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts to make it easier to differentiate and it's shorter to type.
Translated phonetically, Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Marital Arts is 'Wol-su-wol-mu-rok.' The previous records are 'Wol-su-gung-mu-rok' (Transcending) and 'Jo-su-wol-mu-rok' (Gazing). Hence, you can see why Seo Eun-hyun said that the new record is a combination of the previous records' names.