Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Crouching Dragon
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Absolute Technique refers to a skill that has reached such uniqueness it distorts the existing laws.
There are Personal Absolute Techniques, unique strengths and peculiarities mastered by individuals.
And there are Inherited Absolute Techniques, mighty martial arts passed down through learning and teaching.
The Emperor King of the Namgung Clan and Heavenly Thunder Qi were such examples.
The Tang Clan's Formless Earthly Poison and Myriad Blossoms Falling Like Rain were as well.
Wudang's Wisdom Sword was another.
These had been passed down in the Zhuge Clan as well.
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Earth Force, the power of the land itself.
The blazing heat surging from deep underground, the immense force from clashing plates, the warm vitality nurturing crops.
Whatever it may be, power is bound to move.
That flow is called the Earth Vein.
"-Come to me."
Even for a human pounding on the ceiling of the mortal realm, this was an overwhelming power beyond comparison.
A portion of that flow now lay in the clan head's grasp.
"...Oh my."
The ground itself was being sucked in. It felt as if a vortex invisible to the eye had unfurled before her.
And then, the concentrated power began to take tangible form.
Gang Qi?
No, it wasn't shaped and refined to that degree.
It was merely a torrent of overwhelming, pure force so immense it warped space itself.
A product born purely from qi stacked to its extreme limits, without mental interference or distortion of specific principles or truths.
"...Wow, is that for real?"
This was a power that made even So-hyang break into a cold sweat, tense with apprehension.
"We've only risen as a martial house a little over two hundred years ago. We have no profound or esoteric martial principles."
If pressed, the Hunyuan Qi Formation Divine Art might qualify, but it was merely a combination and fusion of existing laws, not a secret art transcending them.
The only truth they possessed was formations.
The method of communing with Earth Veins and guiding their paths.
"Our inheritance is power alone."
Not wisdom, not enlightenment—just the absolute certainty that pure power reigns supreme.
"...This is the Zhuge Clan, right?"
A tradition of utter brute simplicity, hard to reconcile with a house famed for brilliant minds, wise and cool judgment, and genius intellect.
"All else is merely a means to manifest power. Sleights born of insufficient strength, meaningless if true power is attained."
"As you did."
The clan head pointed a finger at So-hyang.
"Ah...?"
So-hyang could somewhat grasp the proposition of power they pursued.
Vast inner energy, profound martial principles, sharp wisdom—without preference for any, they sought sheer influence to interfere with the world.
In essence, utility, phenomena, achievement.
Power in its fundamental sense, encompassing wealth, charm, authority, morality.
Indeed, the Zhuge Clan had ties to court and military, making their principles understandable.
But what loomed before her now was a wave of simple, savage violence.
A house-sized orb emitting light like the sun descending to earth was aimed at So-hyang.
"You cannot block it, nor evade it."
For it would obliterate the surrounding space entirely.
"...Are you trying to kill me?"
No matter how rudely So-hyang haded and fought wildly, this was not a duel to the death.
They had avoided lethal strikes, refrained from ending it even when possible, considering each other's circumstances.
"Transcendents don't die so easily. Even reduced to rags, life clings."
Though body and qi transcended norms, the purified essence from Bone Transformation was extraordinary. Its vitality far exceeded common expectations.
Of course, it might not hold—but the clan head had no intention of fretting over that.
If she died, so be it.
A madwoman who barged in demanding a spar.
"Haha, you've lost it."
His eyes gleamed with a hint of madness. Understandable, after being pushed so hard.
"The technique's name is Crouching Dragon. Die."
"Showing your true colors—"
A deafening roar shook heaven and earth, like a nuclear blast from her past life.
The earth's hues swallowed So-hyang whole.
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Crouching Dragon: the dragon stirred from its prone slumber.
In an era ruled by the dragon's bloodline, daring to name a technique with "dragon" proclaimed its might.
Its power transcended imagination.
The form was an omnidirectional explosion, its force comparable to a Fire Realm strike.
The power felt from the Heavenly Sword gripped by the Alliance Leader, or what So-hyang unleashed slicing the heavens before her body was sealed.
In terms of sheer might alone.
A mere single strike.
Yet from the Transcendent realm, it displayed Fire Realm divinity.
In that fleeting moment stretched infinitely slow, So-hyang fell into deep contemplation.
How to confront this overwhelming torrent of force?
An explosion striking such a vast domain that evasion was impossible.
Contrary to the clan head's thoughts, mustering full power to boost speed, she could escape the epicenter.
But she had no desire to turn her back on a warrior's heartfelt strike.
Then block it?
But blocking wasn't feasible against such power. She'd be swept into rags.
Then cleave it?
But cleaving held no meaning.
Not a projectile, not a line or plane—this was a space-striking explosion. A mere cross-section would be overrun.
Using Sword Pressure insight to tear the air and offset with wind pressure?
No, it wouldn't work.
In her slowed vision, golden qi flows approached languidly. Distorted air yielded at their edges.
No mere wind pressure could counter this.
Though accustomed to toppling giants with minimal force, the gap here was too vast—no answer.
No gaps to pierce, no vulnerabilities.
Then.
Release the thirty-six axes embedded in her body, unseal her flesh?
Her original body's power could handle such an explosion.
Sword Pressure manifested with immense physical might would rival it.
But that would be no different from fleeing with back turned.
The seal was the minimal premise for fair combat; releasing it was akin to cheating.
At least, that's how So-hyang saw it.
Especially since she'd made a promise.
"When I surpass the wall and reach the Fire Realm, I'll challenge you first."
"...Ho, is there a reason you must?"
Namgung Geukbeon, Martial Alliance Leader, her friend.
The first immense wall So-hyang, arrogant to the skies and even bored, ever faced.
The subject that first made her sense dimensional disparity.
"You are the first wall I've encountered."
She wasn't so weak-hearted as to despair and collapse before it, but a wedge had lodged in her heart.
Until she pulled that wedge free, she wouldn't remove the one in her body—
A vow to herself.
And Sword Sovereign.
"I don't like that name held by anyone but me."
"Kuk, kuhahaha!"
To the Leader, all prior words were pretexts.
The last alone was the true reason.
In any case, unsealing was off the table.
Then what?
So-hyang felt a delightful impasse.
No technique honed thus far, no response at her disposal.
Then...
She needed only advance further.
From the start, she plunged into the jianghu seeking spars for ascension.
If her current self had no answer, become a better self.
Aim her sword at the wave, gaze deep into her own depths.
Shattering the Zhuge gates, wandering the Void Formation's space, clashing fiercely with the clan head.
What had she realized?
This was reflection, contemplation, reminiscence.
Formations, Personal Absolute Techniques, Earth Veins, subtleties, principles, Gang Qi...
Myriad thoughts flashed through So-hyang's mind, but deepest was the clan head.
Zhuge Clan Head.
Transcendent warrior wielding diverse weapons unknown even to her, deploying United Formations via Gang Qi.
Most impressive: Gang Brain Formation.
A higher-dimensional computer of Gang Qi, an artificial intelligence.
Handling vast computation, learning and evolving toward ascension.
Though bound by user's capacity, never reaching the pinnacle, it held potential to match her in pure technique.
So-hyang knew little of formations.
She grasped basics; her seals were formations too, but fell short of the clan head's sophistication.
Even a single line circle held complex principles; intertwined, they interacted in indescribable information flows.
No less than past life's electronics—surpassing them.
What machine could compare?
The prowess of a Transcendent's Personal Absolute Technique, twisting and bypassing laws.
So-hyang lacked confidence to fully replicate it. Nor did she intend to.
But as excellent study material.
It sparked inspiration.
The knack resembled recreating lightness skill principles via pure body movement.
Reverse-engineer observed phenomena.
And she had fine material.
Spirit Sword.
One sword, So-hyang's spirit.
An unbound thinking organ; perhaps she'd underutilized its potential.
Clear intent and goal flowed through her hand into the Spirit Sword, ascending to higher realms.
The infusion took an instant.
Not physical change, but a paradigm shift in thought.
Speed matched thought itself.
From the pure white sword burst radiant white light, celebrating growth.
In essence, her Spirit Sword could now think.
Too faint for ego, inherently herself—not a separate sword spirit.
Strictly, it now assisted her cognition, altering sword properties.
And that sufficed.
So-hyang grinned fiercely, stomped hard, regripped her sword.
Mobilize full bodily might.
Normally sustainable, but with seals, unsustainable long.
Not muscles or bones failing, but titanium piercings crumbling.
Ten seconds at best before powdering—but irrelevant.
She needed less than an instant.
Recall: Gang Qi.
Starlight forged by human power.
Densest substance, crushing inferiors like snacks.
Though So-hyang had cleaved, torn, chewed, ripped, shattered it countless times.
Forced via Spirit Sword's indestructibility and Iron Cutter insight—not true interference.
Before Fire Realm torrent, absoluteness paled; atop pure white Spirit Gang, she layered her insight.
Iron Cutter: cleaving Gang Qi bare with ungirded sword.
Her Absolute Technique, far from original iron-cleaving.
Distinct white tip aimed at epicenter; So-hyang's feet repelled earth fiercely.
A awl pierced shockwave unhindered.
Straight-line breakthrough; arrow-like, her sword reached the clan head.
Her slowed cognition normalized; thrill surged, body quivering.
Wow, it worked.
"Ahahaha! Thought I was done for!"
No exaggeration—a true brush with death. Even unsealed, she'd offset but not endure bodily.
Enveloping spirit energy dissipated; pristine white robes filthied with dust.
Of course, mere dust couldn't dim her luster.
To others, her ragged breaths, broad grin amid ecstasy—profoundly bewitching.
Naturally, the battered combatant felt no such allure.
Only stark defeat.
"...Ha, even this failed."
Not quite failure.
So-hyang's state was poor.
Though Gang-formed to pierce, she'd poured all spirit energy.
Yet couldn't fully block shock; body burdened.
Full power under a second, yet load neared limits.
No more spirit energy; seals creaking—no full power left.
But clan head's state matched.
Crouching Dragon.
Technique channeling vast Earth Vein via inner energy as catalyst.
Even Transcendent vastness mere dust to nature; all inner energy depleted.
Both exhausted inner energy; pure body and skill clash remained.
But therein, clan head couldn't best So-hyang.
Moreover, sword at throat sans Protective Gang Qi—bout decided.
All measures exhausted, yet utter defeat.
Fighting spirit faded from clan head's eyes.
"Fine, I lose."
"Great bout. Was fun."
No permanent wounds, no deep internal injuries needing time.
So-hyang alone gained? No.
To warriors, real combat was a priceless mine of insights.
Clan head, post-Transcendence, had rare true spars due to Absolute Technique's uniqueness.
Near-zero actual damage; objectively, invaluable duel.
Of course...
Plains bore crater like meteor impact; Yangyang County and surrounds battered by freak storm.
"Aaaagh!? What wind—"
"Kyaa! Our chickens are flying!"
No major injuries or vast property loss, so good was good.
Quite so.
"...Fucking hell."
Sudden madwoman turned everything to chaos.
Clan head clutched brow in dismay.