Qi Condensation (4)
Ah… Is it you, the martial artist from the Five Qi Consorting with the Origin?
Cheongmun Ryeong let out a mocking snort the moment we met.
Martial artists are all cut from the same cloth. Most of them are ignorant brutes. I wonder if you can even keep up with the insights I’ve gleaned into the talismans and incantations I’m researching.
I’ll do my best.
Best? Everyone is born with certain subjects. I know yours well, so handle yourself accordingly. I didn’t need a disciple anyway, but the clan head ordered me to take you in because you cleared the Cheongmun Clan’s external reputation from the Jin family.
He tossed me a book with an irritated expression.
It’s the 72 Earth Devouring Talismans at the 70th layer. You only have one visible spiritual vein activated, too. I don’t feel like teaching a talentless wretch like you, so just read and study whatever’s written in there.
The book’s title was Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talisman Interpretations.
It looked like the insights Cheongmun Ryeong had personally composed on the talismans.
After hurling the book at me, he blew a puff of air out his nose and stormed off into his room, issuing one last warning.
Just so you know, when I’m in there, don’t even think about coming in. Talk to me from outside. I’m already irritated enough just looking at your face!
I bowed in return and retreated to my room to read.
Even though my attainment was only at the first layer of Qi Condensation, my pure combat power sat above 14 layers, well into Foundation Establishment. The resources they now assigned me were substantial.
Thirty spiritual stones per month. Access to the Cheongmun Clan’s main house spiritual vein. Permission to use the lower-level library in the main archive.
My mandatory duty dropped from four times a month to once. The difficulty rose, but it was still manageable.
After completing my task, I locked myself away and poured over Cheongmun Ryeong’s Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talisman Interpretations for hours on end.
At the same time, I chanted the talismans nonstop, practiced hand seals, and drilled the martial techniques until my throat burned.
When I grew tired of it, I’d slip into the Yeon Kingdom, contact Kim Young-hoon, and spar with him over our insights.
Five years passed like that.
Qi Condensation 1st layer… half the way through.
I had grasped thirty-eight of the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans and activated thirty-eight spiritual veins.
Thanks to nonstop spiritual-stone consumption, the main house’s spiritual vein, and Cheongmun Ryeong’s patient teaching.
“Master, I still don’t fully understand the meaning of the Earth Dog Star talisman.”
You fool! You still can’t grasp it even after I gave you the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talisman Interpretations?! What a brainless, irritating little brat!
Cheongmun Ryeong exploded the moment I asked for instruction outside his door, venting a stream of curses before lecturing me for a while.
Once the rant ended, he finally explained the talisman’s true meaning and shared his annotations.
For the first year I received nothing. But I sat outside his door from dawn to dusk, begging for guidance.
He finally gave in after gnashing his teeth and called me a stubborn fool, cursing me the whole time while still teaching me.
“That’s my interpretation of the Earth Star talisman. Satisfied now? What a brainless, stubborn brat! If the clan head hadn’t ordered it, I would have beaten you to death right there!”
“Thank you, Master. I will take my leave.”
I bowed to the cursing Cheongmun Ryeong and returned to my room to chant and study.
Even while other Cheongmun Clan members toured the Byeokra Kingdom.
Even while others slept.
Even while others laughed and chatted with each other.
I trained from morning until night, endlessly chanting the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans and forming hand seals, desperately seeking enlightenment.
One day my throat was so dry I grabbed a teacup. It slipped from my fingers and shattered.
Fortunately I caught it before it could break again, but I knew exactly why it happened.
My fingerprints had worn away.
All thanks to nonstop hand seals at every moment.
Even when I ate, I still muttered the talismans and read the interpretations in my head.
Of course I also kept refining my martial arts while chanting.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The sword flew through the air on its own.
I didn’t swing it. It simply moved by itself, guided by the void.
Ever since I learned the Danak Sword Art, I had been unconsciously controlling my sword with pure intent even while chanting talismans and forming seals.
Once I mastered detaching my intent and feeding commands directly to the sword, it felt as natural as breathing.
But the Five Qi Consorting with the Origin was still an vast and profound realm.
And I was still only at Qi Condensation 1st layer.
One day, after twenty-four hours of nonstop Danak Sword Art practice and talisman chanting, my hands began bleeding.
Simply from forming seals over and over again, the skin on my palms tore.
I didn’t care. I kept chanting and forming seals while blood poured from my wounds.
Yes… this was the first time my palms had bled.
How much blood had flowed when I used the Danak Sword Art?
How many times had my hands been torn and slashed?
Now, on the path of spiritual cultivation, it was finally the hand seals that had damaged me.
Drip, drip…
As the blood fell, I wiped the footprints on the floor using my sword and the laws I had learned, while simultaneously applying my inner energy to stem the bleeding.
After the wounds scabbed over, the seals continued to tear the scabs off, reopening the cuts.
But I never stopped.
There was no time to stop.
For a fool like me.
For someone whose talent was insufficient.
Because every second was worth a thousand gold.
Another five years passed.
Click, click, click, click, click…
“Mmm… mmm…”
I finished chanting the entire Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans and formed my final hand seal.
When I reached the last talisman, the one corresponding to the Earth Dog Star…
“Finally… I’ve understood everything in the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans!”
The last spiritual vein activated.
My law power surged dramatically, and the size of my intent expanded a little.
Qi Condensation 2nd layer!!!
I finally reached it after ten years!
Chanting until my tongue grew numb, forming seals until my fingers bled!
I rushed to Cheongmun Ryeong’s door in delight.
“Master! This disciple has reached Qi Condensation 2nd layer! Through your teachings and the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talisman Interpretations, I have fully grasped the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans! Thank you. If you had not opened the path of enlightenment, I could never have reached this point. Thank you, again and again!”
From inside the door, the ripples of intent were slightly agitated.
After a moment, Cheongmun Ryeong spoke with irritation.
“What the hell… You reached 2nd layer after ten years? I can’t stand it anymore. You’re a complete idiot to be my disciple. You damned fool! I’ll tell the clan head to kick you out!”
“No matter what, I am eternally grateful for Master’s kindness. This disciple will take my leave.”
But for several days afterward, the clan head never mentioned me. Cheongmun Ryeong never came out of his room either.
I continued reading the Jiwol Ipdogyeol and Cheongmun Mok’s Jiwonwonbuponggongbuseo while exploring the 2nd layer.
After the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans came the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang…
Now I needed to chant the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang laws and master their hand seals.
Then condense thirty-six spiritual natures into the spiritual veins across my body.
I stepped outside and chanted the first law from the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang corresponding to the Heavenly Grand Star.
Formed the hand seal.
Ku gu gu—
Following the Heavenly Grand Talisman law, the dirt in front of me rose and coalesced into a sphere at my eye level.
If it had been the Danak or Hwawol Ipdogyeol, it would have produced a water or fire sphere.
But because I hadn’t even condensed a spiritual nature for the Heavenly Grand Star yet, the dirt sphere simply crumbled and scattered.
“The difference between the Earth Devouring and Heavenly Gang talismans is that the Earth Devouring version draws its power from the spiritual veins inside the body, while the Heavenly Gang version mixes heavenly and earthly spiritual energy with the law power to activate the technique.”
I studied the difference, unfolded all thirty-six Heavenly Gang laws, then went to Cheongmun Ryeong again.
“Master, this disciple is still lacking. I would greatly appreciate your guidance on the Heavenly Gang laws as well.”
“Hmph! You damned fool! Before I even tell the clan head, you should have disappeared on your own. What are you still doing here? What a brainless brat! Here, take this.”
The door cracked open and a book was thrown through the gap.
The title was Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Interpretations.
Just like the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring one, it contained Cheongmun Ryeong’s annotations on the Heavenly Gang laws.
I bowed once more and returned to my room to study.
The clan head returned six months later.
On that day, every elder, patriarch, and direct member of the Cheongmun Clan, along with major external disciples, gathered in the main hall for an emergency meeting.
As a major external disciple, I was allowed to attend.
“What tremendous power…”
I exhaled softly while watching the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators filling the main hall, their spiritual energy pressing down like a mountain.
And the size of their intents.
Even without any Core Formation elders, they could have physically wiped out an entire kingdom.
The clan head, Cheongmun Jung-jin, looked somber.
“The reason the main house and elders called this emergency meeting is because a great war will erupt within the next two hundred years.”
“Two… two hundred years?”
I felt a chill. Cheongmun Jung-jin continued explaining.
“It is difficult to say exactly when, but the Cheongmun Clan must prepare for a great war that may occur in two hundred years from today.
From now on, we will prioritize strength over blood relations. The tournament that used to be held once every few years will now be held twice a year.
External disciples will also receive an annual competition. Everyone must focus on improving their own abilities.
Now step outside. Only the elders and patriarchs remain.”
We bowed and left the hall.
The Cheongmun Clan members whispered among themselves about what had happened, but I had no close friends and could only ponder alone.
That night, late, Cheongmun Ryeong returned to his quarters. I asked him cautiously.
“Master, I would like to know the reason the clan head made such a prediction.”
“Hmph! Why are you so curious? We both won’t live that long anyway. Just train normally.”
Yes… he was right.
My lifespan was only about thirty or forty years left.
After I died, who cared about two hundred years?
Focus on what I could do now.
“By the way, you. How many of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang laws have you grasped? How many spiritual natures have you condensed?”
“This disciple is still lacking. I have only condensed three spiritual natures.”
You brainless fool! Read the entire book within seven days!
Krruck—
Thud.
Another book was dropped through the gap.
The title was Grand Clarity Martial Arts Record.
It was the deeper version of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Interpretations.
“Thank you, Master.”
I bowed and returned to my room.
Time flew.
Twelve years.
In those twelve years I finally mastered the entire Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang laws and condensed all thirty-six spiritual natures.
With the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring veins as the foundation, the thirty-six spiritual natures spread across every meridian of my body.
Uuung—
Heavenly and earthly spiritual energy surged into my meridians, greatly increasing my law power.
At the same time, the meridians grew thicker and stronger as they absorbed the spiritual natures.
After twenty-two years of patient cultivation, I crossed the final threshold of the 2nd layer and entered the beginning of the 3rd layer.
“Ha… It wasn’t easy.”
I sighed softly while looking at the bronze mirror in my room.
Inside the copper, I saw a face full of whiskers.
Of course, since I had reached the Five Qi Consorting with the Origin and undergone body reconstruction, there were no wrinkles.
I would probably look in my mid-twenties after just shaving them off.
But I was growing impatient.
The time in this life was already passing rapidly.
Would I reach 4th layer before I died?
Even at this speed, I had only reached it because I had used the Cheongmun Clan’s spiritual vein and received excessive resources and concentrated teaching.
If I had lived an ordinary life, it would have taken thirty years to complete just the 1st layer.
During those twelve years, Cheongmun Ryeong had grown so frustrated with my slow progress that he finally stopped teaching through the door and began giving direct advice.
Of course I still couldn’t enter his room, but at least I could face him.
Seeing the thirty-six spiritual veins fully condensed, I knew I had reached the 3rd layer.
I immediately rushed to him.
“Master! This disciple has finally reached Qi Condensation 3rd layer! Thank you!”
“Thank you? What the hell. I was so frustrated for twelve years I wanted to die. What a fool! And why are you boasting to me?!”
The door opened and Cheongmun Ryeong, with his neatly trimmed goat beard, scowled.
“You brainless brat! Come in. Let me see how much you’ve understood of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang laws.”
I stepped inside with a smile.
His room was filled with countless books.
Although it wasn’t small, the books left almost no room to stand.
He sat in the middle of the book mountain, turning pages and carefully annotating with a brush.
Sit. And stop performing those insane rituals.
He didn’t even offer me a cushion, just glared at me while annotating.
I smiled bitterly.
Right now, outside the door, my sword was dancing alone in the void, executing the Danak Sword Art according to my intent and sword qi.
In the past twenty-two years I had never once stopped training my martial arts while studying spiritual techniques and talismans.
Even now, I could wield the Danak Sword Art mid-sleep.
But Cheongmun Ryeong clicked his tongue.
“I know you’re a natural swordsman. With your kind of talent, you should focus on one thing. How long are you going to keep performing those insane rituals alongside your training?!”
“I’m sorry… But…”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. The martial arts were your life. I’m tired of hearing the same thing. You idiot. Stop talking and chant the laws.”
Before Cheongmun Ryeong, I chanted the laws and answered his questions about my understanding of the laws.
After a while, he nodded.
“Good. Your understanding of the laws is acceptable.”
“Thank you. Then…”
“Now I should teach you the proper guidance for the 3rd layer. Here, take this.”
He handed me a book titled Twelve Earth Guidance Records.
Twelve Earth Rhythms.
Yellow Bell, Great Lü, Tai Cu, Xia Zhong, Gu Xian, Zhong Lü, Sui Bin, Lin Zhong, Yi Ze, Nan Lü, Wu Yi, Ying Zhong.
Absorbing these twelve kinds of spiritual energy would be the core of completing the 3rd layer.
There were five attributes, and five divided into twelve, creating sixty variations.
Even without knowing them all, knowing just the twelve corresponding to the rhythms was enough to calculate the rest.
You must understand the changes of this spiritual energy and how it affects the world.
“Yes, I’ll memorize…”
“No. Don’t memorize. Read it right here.”
“Yes…?”
“Up until now, when I gave you a book you’d read it in your room and ask me if you didn’t understand. But my heart is about to burst!
Just read it here and ask me immediately if you don’t understand! Or just live here!”
I was momentarily stunned, but I bowed and thanked him.
“Thank you for your kindness, Master.”
“Shut up! Don’t be so formal. Just read the book and finish it!”
Under Cheongmun Ryeong’s roar, I hurriedly began reading.
Qi Condensation 3rd layer.
At the Twelfth Earth Rhythm stage, one began to grasp the twelve kinds of spiritual energy.
From then on, cultivators could deploy spiritual technique arrays according to the type of spiritual energy.
Eventually one could unfold formation arrays or bizarre spiritual arrays.
Since truly understanding the twelve spiritual natures required practicing the arrays, I always stepped outside after each lesson and deployed the formations Cheongmun Ryeong suggested.
Fortunately, my spatial sense was excellent, so I understood formations easily.
Moreover, I had learned about spirit-soul substitution and mechanisms while leading the martial alliance under Kim Young-hoon long ago, so learning formations came naturally.
The twelve kinds of spiritual energy were like waves.
The spiritual energy of the Yellow Bell corresponded to the wavelength range below a certain frequency.
The rest were called Great Lü.
I learned the twelve spiritual natures and understood them by enduring Cheongmun Ryeong’s constant scolding and curses right beside him for about six years.
Uuung!
Viewing the spiritual veins in my entire body as one formation array, I evolved them to absorb all twelve Earth Rhythms.
I imprinted each of the twelve Earth Rhythms onto every meridian and spiritual nature.
Flash!
“Ha… ha…”
I successfully completed the Qi Condensation 3rd layer.
Now it was only a short step to the 4th layer.
I opened my eyes.
Cheongmun Ryeong stood right in front of me, eyes wide with astonishment.
“You… succeeded. What a brainless fool. Only now do you grasp the Twelfth Earth Rhythms and reach the 3rd layer? You were told your pure combat power is 14th layer, yet you still figure it out so late!”
“Haha, Master. The martial arts and spiritual techniques I learned are completely different, aren’t they?”
“Hmph. Good. Even so, how much further can you go in your lifetime? I’m so irritated I can’t stand it. Come with me! Before my heart bursts, I have to teach you a little faster!”
He grabbed several books and dragged me outside.
“With the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans, you can now extend law techniques from your body.
With the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang, you have condensed spiritual natures and can sense the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy with law techniques.
With the Twelve Earth Rhythms, you have grasped the kinds of spiritual energy and can unfold spiritual technique arrays that imitate the flow of heaven and earth.”
Ancient characters representing the Seventy-Two Earth Devouring Talismans, Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang, and Twelve Earth Rhythms rose around Cheongmun Ryeong.
“And from now on you will enter the Ten Heavenly Stems Diagram.
If a cultivator’s spiritual technique array imitates the flow of heaven and earth, you must master the Ten Heavenly Texts to fully unleash the power of formations.
The Ten Heavenly Texts are characters created by ancient people to imitate the ten principles of the heavens.
Each character contains the principle of heaven.
Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.
Once you understand these ten principles, you can complete the Qi Condensation 4th layer.”
The Ten Heavenly Stems Diagram moved according to Cheongmun Ryeong’s will.
At the same time, the spiritual energy of trees rose around him and a formation array for planting was deployed.
A formation array based on the Twelve Earth Rhythms, containing the Ten Heavenly Texts.
Uuung!
Ten variations multiplied by twelve spiritual natures created dozens of changes.
At the center of those dozens of variations, when Cheongmun Ryeong drew his spiritual energy back in, all the changes were absorbed into him.
“This is the realm you must reach. This time, for the love of it! Complete the 4th layer within three years! I don’t expect anything more from you, you brainless fool!”
From that day on, I began learning the Ten Heavenly Texts under Cheongmun Ryeong’s guidance.
“Jia begins with the Great Forest Tree and ends with Gui as Rain and Dew Water. Each heavenly text contains the principles of yin and yang and the five elements…”
“The variations of the ten spiritual energies are basically the division of the changes of heaven and earth into yin and yang. The ten principles that form the world are interpreted as yin-yang and five elements…”
“Now match the yin-yang and five elements to the Twelve Earth Rhythms. The Twelve Earth Rhythms also contain interpretations of yin and yang with the yang and yin rhythms…”
I learned the Ten Heavenly Texts from Cheongmun Ryeong and also mastered the Jiwonwonbuponggongbuseo he gave me, along with its mystical techniques.
“Earth Hospital!”
Forming the hand seal and chanting the incantation, the dirt around me coalesced into a formation array.
I infused the formation with the twelve kinds of spiritual energy and the ten variations of spiritual energy, maximizing its power.
Kuung!
Six hexagonal dirt shields formed around me.
A defensive mystical technique from the Jiwonwonbuponggongbuseo.
I guided my spiritual energy and made the dirt shields spin.
Ku gu gu gu—
With a heavy sound, the dirt shields rotated around me like a whirlwind.
Each shield was heavy and fast, powerful enough to slice through a human being.
Theoretically it was almost impossible to cut, but the dirt shields held massive law power.
“Qi Condensation 4th layer…”
Now I was on the same level as the Yeon Kingdom’s Emperor Makri Jeong and his son Makri Hyeon.
“From the 4th layer onward, you will fight by controlling the surrounding space.”
By deploying formation arrays with spiritual energy and amplifying them with the Ten Heavenly Texts, you will completely control the surrounding space in your grasp.
Just as the former Crown Prince Makri Hyeon once controlled the surrounding space with wind spiritual energy, I could now control the space around me with earth spiritual energy and fight.
“Master, look! I have finally realized the formation array!”
“What a brainless fool. You’re proud of realizing the formation? How noisy and… oh.”
Cheongmun Ryeong still seemed irritated that I was driving him insane, but at least I had reached the 4th layer.
Five more years passed.
Thanks to Cheongmun Ryeong clinging to my side and teaching me nonstop, I finally mastered all the variations of the Ten Heavenly Texts over those five years.
Uuung—
My law power spread out and formed a formation array around me.
Ten spiritual natures mixed with twelve variations created dozens of changes.
“These sixty variations of spiritual energy…”
They merged with my meridians!
Ku gu gu gu!
The earth spiritual energy that had scattered to draw the formation array returned to me and merged with the meridians corresponding to each variation.
“Unity!”
Ku gu gu gu gu gu—
Countless variations burst forth from the meridians like a great surge.
I carefully absorbed the variations into my meridians based on my understanding of the Ten Heavenly Texts.
The meridians evolved.
They grew wider and could now hold more variations.
When the meridians absorbed every variation…
I finally knew I had crossed the long-awaited wall.
“Finally…!”
Qi Condensation 4th layer completed!
Now… Qi Condensation 5th layer!!!
“Finally…!”
When I opened my eyes, a thunderous cheer echoed in my ears.
It was my Master.
“Finally! You damned fool have reached the 5th layer of Qi Condensation! Hahaha! I won! With your damned talent, I’ve guided you to the 5th layer! Hahaha!”
“Thank you, Master…!”
“Haha, you foolish disciple…!”
We hugged each other and cheered in joy.