The Creeping Sky Gate (5)
I reviewed the two cultivation manuals and organized my thoughts.
“We can complement each other.”
The method of the Army Demon Pit Fist was roughly like this.
First obtain a Law Treasure or a Law Artifact.
Then closely link your consciousness with it.
Through that connection, slowly stimulate the spirituality of the Law Treasure to form its Artifact Spirit.
The Artifact Spirit that is formed can take the form of a target you find impressive. And as you understand the target better, you can make the Artifact Spirit mimic its power to a certain extent using the power of the Law Treasure.
However, the form of the Artifact Spirit that is formed this way will not be properly visible to others, only a hazy mist-like shape.
There is no limit to the number of Artifact Spirits you form. By stacking them, stacking them, and stacking more, you strengthen the Law Treasure while gathering the aura of the Artifact Spirits created from the Law Treasure’s spirituality to slowly raise your realm.
This is a method that summons countless Artifact Spirits and uses them. Since those Artifact Spirits only appear as hazy mist to others’ eyes, those who have mastered the method summon countless Artifact Spirits whenever they use the Law Treasure, appearing like summoning a horde of demons. Thus the method itself came to be called the Army Demon Pit Fist by the common people, for it is essentially a pit that holds thousands of strange demons.
“It was originally a technique from the Black Ghost Valley anyway. The people of the Black Ghost Valley mainly practice ghost dao methods…”
Their Law Treasures and the Artifact Spirits they create through consciousness linking would all have been scattering ghost qi and devil qi.
It was no wonder it was named the Army Demon Pit Fist.
“If it were just some righteous dao method I formed Artifact Spirits with, it could just as well be called the Army Spirit Pit Fist.”
Of course, that did not matter.
The Army Demon Pit Fist was a method that could reach the Nascent Soul realm by stimulating the soul with countless Artifact Spirits, starting from the Foundation Establishment stage.
Most importantly, the part I was paying attention to was the section that explained how to reach the Nascent Soul realm.
“Form several Artifact Spirits, gather them all into one powerful Artifact Spirit, and then have that Artifact Spirit stimulate the soul.”
In short, you could merge hundreds of Artifact Spirits into one.
That was the important point.
I read the manual for the Three Spirits Technique.
A method that creates three clones to be revived later.
I read the two manuals and thought the “clone” of the Three Spirits Technique and the “Artifact Spirit” of the Army Demon Pit Fist could be combined.
“That means the weakness of the Three Spirits Technique—creating clones of three or fewer—would be no weakness at all.”
Even if I created more than three clones and their power weakened, the Artifact Spirits could still be merged back together using the essence of the Army Demon Pit Fist.
In short, survival ability would be raised to the maximum for survival, and combat power would be raised to the maximum for combat.
What I was most looking forward to was something else.
“Combine the Three Spirits Technique, which stores training and receives help from the clones when reviving, with the Army Demon Pit Fist that creates Artifact Spirits from the Law Treasure. Maybe…”
I recalled the Colorless Glass Sword inside me.
“Maybe even store training in the Colorless Glass Sword itself with both methods and bring it into the next life.”
That alone would be an enormous gain.
After some thought, I decided to first master the two methods.
“Well, I’ll start with Foundation Establishment.”
At my current level of Qi Condensation, the only thing preventing me from reaching Heavenly Tribulation was… Heavenly Tribulation.
I had passed the Heavenly Tribulation phenomenon with Yangsan General’s multi-clone before, but I was worried because if Heavenly Tribulation came down again, people might notice me breaking it before even solving it.
But upon recent reflection, Officer Oh Hyun-seok was also likely to face Heavenly Tribulation when he reached Foundation Establishment, so following his lead should be fine.
“Good. Let’s do that…”
Crack…
I organized my future plans and began cultivating the Deep Pool Technique again in a deep underground pool.
* * *
Slosh, slosh…
Late at night.
Changheon Gaebyeokmun’s guest quarters.
A man with thick steam rising from his body returned to that place.
Whoosh…
I shook my head while watching the heat gushing from my entire body.
Drip, drop…
A piece of lava that had stuck to my head flew in all directions.
“The Fire Body Tempering Technique is always hot, huh.”
Whether morning or night, there was no difference.
The Changheon Gaebyeokmun only worshipped the body tempering method, so the Five Elements Pavilion was always bustling with people.
Of course, if I practiced a method other than the Five Elements Deep Pool Technique that did not require the power of the Five Elements, there was no need to go to the Five Elements Pavilion.
The problem was that to practice any other method, I had to beat the “Four Books” and the Arm Wrestling in the Pavilion of Books, and win.
“If I become strong enough to beat the Four Books and the Arm Wrestling, at that point people would already consider my body ruined from practicing the Five Elements Pavilion, so the other methods in the Pavilion of Books would have no meaning.”
For that reason the Five Elements Pavilion was always crowded with people, but the more I moved through it day and night, the more disciples of the Three Clouds and One Clouds were drawn to it, and even when there were no seats left in the Five Elements Pavilion, I still went.
Today, originally I had planned to return to the guest quarters for about seven days and nights, but because the Five Elements Pavilion was packed with senior disciples, I had no choice but to return.
“Huu…”
When I opened the door to the guest quarters, a presence could be felt from inside.
“How have you been, Yuan Yi.”
Yuan Yi, the blood vessel left behind by Won Rip, approached me with an expressionless face wearing a red robe.
Named Yuan Yi because it was the mark left by Yuan Yi, the guy who lived in my guest quarters, cleaned the place, and recovered using the heaven and earth qi of the Gwanghan realm.
Currently he was almost at the peak level of Foundation Establishment.
I moved Yuan Yi to bring me a glass box.
Clink.
Yuan Yi brought the glass box and placed it in front of me.
Inside the glass box, a centipede grown to the size of a fingernail inside a small enclosure was eating a feed pill for insects.
Twitch, twitch…
Since the creature had not yet developed intelligence, it did not seem to realize I was looking at it.
“Eat well and grow well.”
Even if I could not obtain spirituality and become a Dao Lord in this life, I would not forget the kindness I received in my past life.
In any case, thanks to the immense spirituality of the Gwanghan realm, it would live a little longer than its original lifespan.
I took out another Feed Pill made with insect poison and placed it in front of the creature, then had Yuan Yi move the glass box back to its original position.
“Recently, the Heavenly Tribulation phenomenon appeared again.”
The territory of the Changheon Gaebyeokmun had been bright with sunlight after I finished the Qi Condensation Seven-Star Ceremony.
However, recently a certain corner of the Changheon Gaebyeokmun had been covered by a cloud of eating qi.
Of course, it had been pierced almost immediately by something rising from below.
“If the Heavenly Tribulation phenomenon appeared, it means Officer Oh Hyun-seok has also finished the Qi Condensation Seven-Star Ceremony.”
That meant soon…
“An appropriate time to enter Foundation Establishment has arrived.”
I did not have to explain to Changhoza that each time my realm rose I was hit by Heavenly Tribulation because I carried the phenomenon. It was much better to have Officer Oh Hyun-seok learn it first.
Clench…
I clenched and unclenched my fist.
“Will I be able to endure Heavenly Tribulation?”
In fact, using Yuan Yi—who was as good as the legendary Yangsan General at Nascent Soul—or myself made it too easy. But this time I was curious whether I could overcome Heavenly Tribulation with the body I had trained.
Honestly, after all the hard training in the Five Elements Pavilion to master the Five Elements Deep Pool Technique, it would be disappointing if I could not block Heavenly Tribulation.
“My current combat power, purely in terms of power output, is mid-Foundation Establishment.”
Blocking Heavenly Tribulation at mid-Foundation Establishment without reaching Nascent Soul was tough.
“I need to find some method.”
It was not simply testing my body with raw power.
“I cannot keep the Invisible Sword dormant like this forever.”
Because I could be suspected as a spy of the Three Ghosts, I had never used it before.
But being unable to use the Invisible Sword, which was part of my life and identity, put a considerable psychological burden on me.
Changhoza would not believe me if I explained that the Invisible Sword was a martial art.
Since he was at the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown realm and knew the limits of the martial artists better than anyone, I would just get beaten if I told lies.
Of course, Changhoza did not know the Three Ghosts method, so pretending it was a strange method and learning the Invisible Sword would be foolish.
“In Changhan-do, there is someone called the Total Commanding General.”
In each floating island, one agent dispatched from the Human Total Union was stationed as the Total Commanding General.
And they used special big laws to monitor the entire floating island so that suspicious incidents did not occur.
Of course, the precision was poor because the range was so wide, but they could still roughly know what was happening across the entire Changhan-do.
“No matter how imprecise the Total Commanding General’s method is, if he sees me using the Invisible Sword…”
It’s over.
The Total Commanding General’s realm was said to be at least the peak of Heavenly Person.
I had heard he had stepped into Four Pillars.
“…Until the real Yangsan General I am working on with expensive materials is completed, I cannot act rashly.”
I turned my gaze to the basement.
In the basement was the body of my past life that I was slowly constructing with expensive materials.
The real Yangsan General was being created.
However, because the materials used by Goe-gun when he remodeled me into the Yangsan General were literally ridiculously expensive, I could not easily make a proper Yangsan General.
Currently the frame was barely taking shape.
For that reason, I had decided to endure Heavenly Tribulation with my bare body without taking out the Invisible Sword, to consider a way to use the Invisible Sword.
“If I generate the Invisible Sword inside my body and reach the Moon Dao Chapter Heaven in one go, maybe no one will notice the Invisible Sword.”
“Or if I unfold the Stealth and Illusion Technique inside my body with the Invisible Sword itself, the aura of the Invisible Sword won’t be noticed.”
“What if I apply the Eonsiksul or the Gimyoseongsimjeon?”
“If I mix the Invisible Sword into the body tempering method, maybe no one will notice.”
I pondered deeply about the Invisible Sword itself and kept thinking.
Clench…
Just as many people said that Officer Oh Hyun-seok’s talent was mythical.
It would not take long for him to reach Foundation Establishment.
“Inside him, let’s find a way to use the Invisible Sword naturally.”
I floated the Invisible Sword inside my mind and closed my eyes.
* * *
Time flowed again, and three more months had passed.
The exact one-year mark since my regression.
“Heheha, come here, Deputy Seo. It has been a very long time.”
“…Oh, Chief?”
I could now see Chief Oh Hyun-seok, who had grown to the same height as Changhoza.
Whoosh…
He had taken off his shirt like Changhoza, and his muscles were sharp like a sculpture.
But what surprised me most was…
That after one year he had also reached the peak of Qi Condensation.
“Thanks to special training I received from my master, I have learned quite a bit about this world, trained my body, and cultivated the Deep Pool Technique. How about you, Deputy? Have you become a little more familiar with this world?”
He laughed heartily like Changhoza and patted my shoulder familiarly.
“Ah, yes. I have a rough understanding of this world…”
“Good, good. Honestly, I was a little surprised at first, but thinking that the other disciples are also training hard in their own sects, I felt relieved.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“The only thing worrying me is the lower realm. Even though it is just a small detachment, it worries me a little…”
“I’m sure he is doing well.”
By now he should have broken through to Five Qi Consorting with the Origin or Deungbongjogeuk using the martial arts information I gave him.
“I hope so. Anyway, my master said that from now on, when we reach Foundation Establishment, you will train together.”
“…”
The Five Elements Pavilion was already quite terrifying on its own, so I wondered what kind of training Changhoza would give directly.
Trembling, yet somehow looking forward to it.
“By the way, you have also reached the peak of Qi Condensation. My master is going to choose a day for us to reach Foundation Establishment. How about it? You are, after all, my direct disciple, so shall we reach Foundation Establishment together?”
To his question, I smiled and answered.
“Of course.”
It was time to test the realization I had obtained while pondering the Invisible Sword during this short time.
A few days later.
I was summoned before Changhoza together with Officer Oh Hyun-seok.
It was time to reach Foundation Establishment.
* * *
“Both of you have mastered the methods beautifully. Especially Officer Oh Hyun-seok, with my concentrated guidance he grew quickly, but Deputy Seo, you did not bother to guide you at all, yet you went to the Five Elements Pavilion and practiced day and night on your own. As your master, I am sorry.”
Changhoza patted my shoulder with the flat of his palm as if proud of me.
My shoulder felt like it would dislocate, but thankfully I braced against the force.
“Both of you will be watched by me as you reach Foundation Establishment at the same time. After reaching Foundation Establishment, I will concentrate on guiding both of you. I will say it again: I am sorry for not guiding Deputy Seo until now.”
At the word “concentrated guidance,” Officer Oh Hyun-seok flinched.
Watching his reaction, I sensed that Changhoza’s concentrated guidance would not be easy.
“Well then. Step onto the spiritual veins ahead. Let us observe you reaching Foundation Establishment.”
Changhoza stood up laughing heartily.
I asked Changhoza just in case.
“Master, do I need to take the Foundation Establishment Pill?”
“Huh? Why are you asking that?”
“Ah, to be honest, I trusted my own training more than the Foundation Establishment Pill, so if you are thinking of giving me the pill…”
“What? After coming into the Changheon Gaebyeokmun, you didn’t even know that?”
Changhoza gave me a puzzled expression and said.
“Our sect does not treat it as a lost method to breakthrough with pills. If you have not reached Foundation Establishment, it means your training is insufficient, so they throw those who have reached peak Qi Condensation from the deepest part of the Five Elements Body Tempering Pavilion for about a year, and everyone wants to live so they climb to Foundation Establishment on their own.”
“…!”
“I myself have pride in not eating any such lost methods like Foundation Establishment Pills and cultivating my body like this. You also think the same, so this master is very satisfied.”
Bang, bang!
Changhoza laughed heartily and patted my back, and I barely held back the blood rising in my throat while smiling.
“Well then, disciples. If there is anything you cannot break through, I will help you. Now, start the Foundation Establishment!”
Following Changhoza’s command, we each sat on the spiritual veins.
“Huuu…”
I spat out the cloud of spirituality from the methods I had mastered.
The cloud spun around me, and far in the sky, an anomaly began.
I half-closed my eyes and began to operate the Invisible Sword I had forged until now.
“In front of Chief Changhoza, who is a Four Pillars Deep Pool Technique cultivator.”
If it was not noticed even in front of his eyes, I did not need to worry about the Total Commanding General’s eyes that only monitored the Changhan-do roughly.
Whoooooong!
Sharp energy began to gather throughout my body.