Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Martial Arts
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How things got so twisted—subduing the demonic beast and analyzing it had led her down a different path altogether.
So-hyang's original reason for visiting the Murim Alliance was to learn martial arts.
So after spending the night in the lodging provided under Lee Se-min's guidance, she barged into the Alliance Lord's residence at the crack of dawn.
To learn any technique, it was best to study under the foremost authority in that field.
But even so.
"...Suddenly?"
Ignoring all procedures like sending a messenger, this reckless intrusion into the Alliance Lord's bedroom.
"Do you and I need to stand on ceremony?"
So-hyang generally showed proper respect to those who had earned fitting achievements and abilities, but the Alliance Lord was an exception.
He had shaken her head every which way—blue skies, yellow skies, red skies, night skies, rainy skies, thunderous skies, every kind imaginable, shoving them into her skull by the minute. Even for So-hyang, that was burdensome.
She hadn't died, but her mood was foul, leaving her with zero desire to be courteous.
"Teach me martial arts, you madman."
The Alliance Lord stared blankly at So-hyang from where he lay on his bed, then pressed his forehead and burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
Who in the world could be so brazen before a transcendent being?
Yet it wasn't some clueless insect throwing a tantrum. She fully grasped the gap between them but showed no fear or reverence.
Was it conviction that she would one day reach his level, or fervor to surpass him?
Even looking back over the past few decades, this was a rare treat.
The Alliance Lord was so delighted that he clutched his stomach, tears welling in his blue eyes as he laughed uproariously.
"...Very well, I'll teach you."
"First, let's check your level."
The Alliance Lord led So-hyang to the training grounds.
A light spar, using wooden swords as weapons.
Even blunt training swords could easily slice through flesh.
But what the Alliance Lord hadn't anticipated.
Was that So-hyang could slice through flesh even with a wooden sword.
"What."
The Alliance Lord stared in bewilderment at the wooden sword cleanly bisected.
"Is this... right?"
He hadn't sensed any flow of intent. Nor was internal energy in play.
Enlightenment of Iron-Cutting.
Not some metaphysical ability of intent, nor borrowed mystic power.
Simply the pinnacle of pure technique.
"No, even so, isn't this physically impossible?"
Indeed.
By common sense, no matter how precise the sword path, it was an impossible feat.
A result of controlling the body down to the molecular level through sheer will, honing movements to microscopic perfection.
A technique impossible to teach others, hard even to explain properly.
"...Unbelievable."
Even to the Alliance Lord, who could cleave the heavens and overturn the earth, it seemed uncanny.
If one had to compare, it was more refined than slicing a single grain of rice into hundreds of sheets edge-on.
A realm Central Plains martial artists had never imagined, let alone aspired to.
A skill attainable only by those who delved into martial arts in barren lands.
"Ha, I get the gist now."
Martial artists who reached that realm could cleave steel without sword qi.
An expansion of intent born from repeated training and growth of body and spirit.
Not deliberately wielded like So-hyang or the shamans, but infused automatically when swinging the sword in earnest.
"At this level, it means your mindset alone makes you a decent swordsman."
A horizon reachable only by those who trusted their sword enough to believe the impossible possible.
"But you actually make it possible, don't you?"
Trust in the impossible.
Trust in what is actually possible.
The two were worlds apart.
Intent stems from cognition.
The intent of a warrior who could cleave steel with their own power brooked no rivals.
"That's why you tear gang qi apart with pure intent, no sword qi or internal energy. What a monster."
"So the spar ends here?"
So-hyang asked, eyeing the halved wooden sword.
With a somewhat arrogant expression, implying that even in a light spar, the one whose weapon broke had lost.
"...Ha."
A playful provocation.
The Alliance Lord couldn't even recall the last time he'd heard such a thing.
Not since entering the transcendent realm, and even back in his absolute peak days, it was rare.
"Of course not. This time will be different."
At the Alliance Lord's gesture, a new wooden sword flew straight into his hand.
"Oh, neat trick."
"What, just basic Void Grasping."
Unlike the anticlimactic first round, this time both seemed intent on enjoying it properly.
Smiles played on So-hyang and the Alliance Lord's faces.
"What."
The tip of the Alliance Lord's wooden sword hooked perfectly onto So-hyang's hilt, their motions meshing naturally as her wooden sword came to point at his throat.
"Alliance Lord, is this really the end now?"
"...Y-yeah."
The winner of the spar: So-hyang.
Of course, the Alliance Lord hadn't even used a fraction of his power.
No mental images, no gang qi, not even sword qi—just pure internal energy to reinforce his body.
So-hyang hadn't tapped Hysterical Strength either, pulling only moderate physical prowess.
Precisely limiting output so neither wooden sword would break.
In other words, a pure contest of swordsmanship skill.
That is.
"Does that mean the esteemed Sword Venerable lost in swordsmanship to a mere mortal?"
So-hyang teased the bewildered Alliance Lord with a playful grin.
"...Even if I say you're the weird one, it won't convince anyone, huh?"
A transcendent being's very existence transcends mortal limits.
Not just a higher ceiling on power, but senses elevated to another dimension altogether.
A higher-dimensional vision looking down, making even equal power incomparable to lower realms—not crushing with overwhelming might, but outclassing regardless.
"And yet you lost."
Simply put, So-hyang's swordsmanship was even more transcendent.
"No, does this even make sense...?"
Even foreseeing the future and piercing movements clean through, he couldn't gain the edge in a clash of techniques.
A swordsmanship so divine you knew it was coming yet still got hit.
The Alliance Lord flopped onto the training ground dirt with a hollow expression.
"Unbelievable, just unbelievable."
"Among all the warriors I've faced, you had the best skill. Be proud."
"...Not proud at all."
Perhaps because he had reached divine heights wielding a single sword.
This life and his past one combined, the Alliance Lord's swordsmanship was undoubtedly top-tier.
Power distribution textbook-perfect, no weaknesses to tricks, senses exceptional.
Murim swordsmanship and martial arts fundamentally required internal energy operation.
Losing a no-internal-energy sword duel didn't mean his skill fell short of So-hyang's.
"...But say that, and it'll just sound like an excuse, right?"
"A loss is a loss, isn't it?"
The Alliance Lord gave a wry smile at So-hyang, who plopped down beside him giggling.
How long had it been since his last defeat?
Even fighting with hands and feet bound, defeat was rare for transcendent realms.
Yet the Alliance Lord's mood was excellent.
A firsthand taste of superior technique after so long—room for growth.
He saw the possibility of advancing further.
In the end, he too was a swordsman enthralled by the blade.
Intoxicated by the unexpected joy of sparring, the two delved deep into swordsmanship discussion.
"So when do you teach me martial arts?"
"Oh right."
They'd enjoyed it so much they'd nearly forgotten the original purpose, but now circled back.
"Asking now, but you really haven't learned any martial arts?"
The Alliance Lord still struggled to believe she hadn't cultivated any special martial art converting internal energy to divine power or absorbing it into her soul—no internal energy whatsoever in that body.
And understandably so.
"Look at the mess you've made. Where does this scream 'no internal energy'?"
Even with power restricted, the training ground was a wasteland.
Beyond even innate superhuman strength or external arts the Alliance Lord had seen aplenty.
His transcendent vision clearly showed no trace of internal energy in So-hyang's body, yet common sense rebelled.
"Can't help what you believe; it's the truth."
"Heavens, even the Pang Clan head couldn't compete, and the North Sea barbarians don't hit this level."
The Alliance Lord shook his head in disbelief but accepted the facts and began explaining.
"Alright then. Start with breathing techniques?"
Third-rate.
The realm of taking in nature through breathing techniques and forming the dantian.
Second-rate.
The realm of channeling qi into meridians to open the qi passages.
First-rate.
Having forged paths enough for minor circulation—what's called Small Heavenly Cycle.
Peak.
Having fully opened the Ren and Du meridians for Grand Heavenly Cycle.
Also the stage of moving beyond mere breathing intake to refining and compressing internal energy—condensing qi.
"Narrowly speaking, this is where you start transcending humanity."
The vessel holding internal energy has human limits; this is where you begin surpassing them.
"Indeed, there was quite a gap between Su and Hwaryeon. Peak and first-rate, right?"
"...Su? You mean Namgung Byeok's third son?"
"Who knows, I didn't ask his father's name. Close enough?"
"I see..."
A strange expression flickered on the Alliance Lord's face—anger, sorrow, regret, joy all mixed.
Come to think of it, the Alliance Lord bore the Namgung surname.
Coincidence, or clan member?
If clan, why was a head-candidate serving as Alliance Lord?
Some circumstances, but So-hyang wasn't particularly interested right now.
"Anyway? Keep going."
"...Anyway, at peak realm, you can move internal energy by will, free from form restrictions."
Thus, peak is sometimes called formless realm.
"Hold on."
So-hyang sensed something off here.
Reaching peak frees you from form restrictions.
Meaning lower realms are bound by them.
"Right?"
Forms aren't just efficient internal energy use; they're training conditions for expanding meridians.
Incomplete expansion necessitates restricting movements within forms.
Unable to move internal energy freely, you force it via motions—and if done wrong.
"Meridians twist. Best case, crippled losing your arts; usual case, death."
Forms are gears turning the martial arts machine; misalignment wrecks the whole structure.
"So... learning martial arts binds your movements to these forms?"
"At least until peak, yeah?"
This applied universally—righteous, evil, even demonic path warriors.
Even those whose forms and stances reached perfection, where will became law.
They'd be shackled in movement.
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
So-hyang's face twisted.