To Each Their Own Intent
To understand an opponent and forge a bond through clashing martial arts. In some ways, it sounded like a fanciful notion, but it held a fair amount of truth.
Martial arts were not performed by the body alone. Internal energy cultivation, especially high-level martial arts, relied as much on mental imagery as it did on oral mnemonics. The Namgung Clan's Emperor's Sword Form, which embodied the majesty of a sovereign. The Kunlun Sect's Eight Steps of the Cloud-Roaming Dragon, which moved the body like a dragon playing in the clouds. And the Heavenly Sword Sect's Three Swords of Cleaving Heaven, which aimed for the heavens with a blade. Only when backed by a powerful mental image and internal energy aligned with the mnemonics could a martial artist unleash a strike that transcended the realm of ordinary mortals.
It's not just about being swayed by the martial art itself.
Though mnemonics and mental imagery existed within a technique, it was ultimately a human who interpreted and executed them. The higher one's realm, the more clearly their unique personal traits manifested in their mental imagery. Thus, when martial artists crossed blades, they came to understand what kind of person their opponent was.
Why did projecting a mental image correlate with one's martial prowess? It was because as one's realm deepened, the essence, qi, and spirit gradually achieved harmony. When the body moved, and internal energy was channeled, the will naturally followed. The state where these three flowed together as naturally as water was called the Divine Realm.
This was why a master of the Transformation Realm could imbue even a simple slash with their intent.
Yoo Jeong recalled the opponents he had faced.
The Sword Demon.
The old man he had met in Hangzhou was like an old wolf. Arrogant and fierce, yet one could feel through his blade that he was burning away his very life for the sake of someone else.
Sago.
The successor of the saber and an elder of the sect. She suited her moniker, Hwahwa-nachal, perfectly. Her greed for martial arts, her thirst for victory—she poured those burning emotions into her saber and swung it.
The Alliance Leader.
The eminent monk of Shaolin. Facing him, Yoo Jeong had felt as if he were standing before a Buddhist statue—immense, solid, and utterly unshakeable. Act only after reflecting on righteousness. He had said he questioned and pondered whether even the smallest action was righteous. Constantly doubting whether one was in the right was an exhausting endeavor, for it required admitting one's ignorance and striving to learn. Yet, the old monk had achieved it. Having tempered both his body and mind, he was called the Unyielding Divine Monk.
It suits him well.
It was a moniker perfectly fitting for a master who had achieved the Vajra Indestructible Body. Perhaps those titles had been bestowed upon them because others, too, had felt their mental imagery. That was what he thought. But if so, could those images truly be called uniquely theirs?
Perhaps.
But that was not the answer Yoo Jeong sought. Though vivid and powerful, those mental images were ultimately derived from the martial arts they practiced. Surely, among the predecessors who had mastered the exact same techniques, there must have been some who projected similar images.
Master's sword dance was different.
His master's sword had transcended the Heavenly Sword. Therefore, she had believed that the sword she must show the world should not be bound by the Heavenly Sword.
That sword from yesterday.
Yoo Jeong recalled his duel with Grandmaster Goeng-ryo. In a state of self-forgetfulness, he had almost unconsciously unleashed the Three Swords of Cleaving Heaven.
“Next time, you might die.”
The Divine Physician had warned him with a deadly serious expression. He had forgotten that advice. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he hadn't had the luxury to think.
But something was different.
It wasn't a matter of simply using the ultimate Yin qi. It was a single strike unleashed with a completely different mindset than when he had used the Three Swords of Cleaving Heaven in the past. Could that be the clue to the answer he was searching for? The thought only made his lingering regret run deeper.
Of course, it would have been disastrous if I had actually unleashed it.
Grandmaster Goeng-ryo had said he blocked it because he, too, felt a sense of crisis. Either Yoo Jeong's acupoints would have been shattered by the ultimate Yin qi, or he would have become a public enemy who attempted to assassinate the Alliance Leader. It would have been one of the two.
Or perhaps both.
"Grrr!"
As Yoo Jeong was reflecting on the duel, a gritting sound reached his ears. It was Paeng So-eun, straining with all her might to wrench her saber free from Yoo Jeong's grasp.
Upon returning to his quarters after the duel with Grandmaster Goeng-ryo, Yoo Jeong had been surprised by two things.
First, Paeng So-eun had actually been waiting on his bed, demanding, "Let's duel!"
Second, her demand of "Let's duel!" had not ended with just that one day.
Seven days and nights had passed since they entered the Wulin Alliance. During that time, So-eun had visited Yoo Jeong every single day without fail. Before long, it had become a natural part of his daily routine after breakfast.
Impressive.
He admired her in many ways. They said that no matter how competitive or driven a martial artist was, they would eventually despair when confronted with an insurmountable wall. Even Yoo Jeong had occasionally felt that way when facing his master's sword. Yet, Paeng So-eun kept charging at him, undeterred by her constant defeats. She was even growing at a rapid pace, instantly correcting the flaws Yoo Jeong pointed out.
On the first day, Yoo Jeong had dealt with her using a single finger.
But now, he was using a whole hand.
"Swinging with power is fine, but your strikes are too linear."
"The Paeng Clan's saber techniques are originally like that!"
"And are you going to clash head-on like that even against someone stronger than you?"
"Ugh..."
When Yoo Jeong released his grip on her saber, Paeng So-eun collapsed onto the ground beside him. Wiping away her sweat, she let out a disgruntled groan.
"Don't 'ugh' me."
"Still, there is no retreat for a member of the Paeng Clan!"
"I'm not telling you to retreat."
Indeed, the fiery temperament of the Paeng Clan that So-eun spoke of was vividly reflected in her saber play. The Five Tigers Severing Saber. That technique, which raged like a wild tiger, carried the momentum to cleave anything in two with every single form. It was a martial art far better suited for a man than a woman.
Of course, Paeng So-eun possessed the blood of the Paeng Clan, and her physical strength was remarkably formidable despite her petite build.
But it's still not enough.
The current So-eun was like a fluffy kitten trying to imitate a tiger. And no matter how much a kitten roared like a tiger and bared its claws, a kitten was still a kitten. A tiger-like spirit might work against mice or other cats, but what if she encountered a marten or a wildcat?
Nine times out of ten, the kitten would be the one getting mauled.
"Your last move was also too direct. If you had taken just one step to the side before swinging, the blade would have appeared to your opponent as if it suddenly materialized from their blind spot."
The advice Yoo Jeong had given her over the past week boiled down to one thing: Fight like a cat while keeping the heart of a tiger. He didn't tell her to discard the tiger in her heart. If she did, it would no longer be the Five Tigers Severing Saber.
"You mustn't let yourself be dragged around by the martial art or its forms. You must be the anchor."
"...I know that in my head!"
"Keep practicing it consciously. If you rely too much on your own blade, your vision will narrow. Don't forget to observe your opponent as well."
"Fine! Let's go again!"
Paeng So-eun leaped to her feet. However, Yoo Jeong shook his head.
"Sorry, not right now."
"What? Why?!"
At the unexpected refusal, Paeng So-eun's braided hair whipped through the air. But a refusal wouldn't make his scheduled plans disappear. Adjusting his robes, Yoo Jeong said, "I have somewhere to go."
"I'll go with you! I can guide you."
"I don't think you can."
"Where is it?"
"The Hidden Dragon Martial Library."
Sheathe.
Paeng So-eun immediately put away her weapon. With a bright, forced smile, she said, "Have a safe trip!"
The strained grin on her face was so comical that Yoo Jeong couldn't help but chuckle.
Even after their duel, Grandmaster Goeng-ryo frequently invited Yoo Jeong over. Of course, they didn't duel like they had on the first day; instead, they shared grain tea and conversed. Most of their conversations revolved around the Sword Empress or discussions on martial theory.
"Your own sword, you say. Difficult, truly difficult."
When Yoo Jeong shared his dilemma, Grandmaster Goeng-ryo did nothing but stroke his beard and repeat those words. Yoo Jeong agreed. Creating one's own martial art was, after all, synonymous with ascending to the rank of a Grandmaster.
"That is something that cannot be achieved simply by having high martial prowess."
It was exactly as he said. Even though Yoo Jeong was a master of the Transformation Realm, swinging a sword mindlessly would not suddenly produce a new martial art.
If it were that easy, the world would be flooded with tacky names like 'So-and-So's Style.'
Just because one could swing a random tree branch and generate power did not mean it could be called a new martial art. It was merely that one's realm was high enough to transcend fixed forms and freely manipulate internal energy. In the end, the foundation of such actions still lay in the martial arts one had already mastered.
Before the pondering Yoo Jeong, Grandmaster Goeng-ryo suddenly demonstrated a martial movement. He flattened one palm and pinched the thumb and index finger of his other hand together like a praying mantis, forming a mantis hook.
"There is a martial art called the Praying Mantis Fist."
"Yes, I have heard of it."
"If a very tall man were to perform the Praying Mantis Fist, would it be the same as the Praying Mantis Fist performed by a small person who doesn't even reach half his height?"
At the question, Yoo Jeong took a sip of his tea and replied, "No, it wouldn't."
"Indeed. Assuming equal skill, the tall man would utilize his reach and suppress his opponent with sheer force. The small man, on the other hand, would move swiftly and look for openings."
Thud, thud.
The monk extended his arm and thrust his mantis hook forward with vigor. Immediately after, he executed a series of short, rapid, and highly versatile movements of the Praying Mantis Fist.
"In the end, though the subtle applications differ, what lies at the foundation are the forms, mnemonics, and mental imagery of the Praying Mantis Fist. Even if they look completely different, they are the same martial art."
"You are saying I must create the very foundation of a martial art."
This was something Yoo Jeong had also been considering to some extent.
"And those who achieve that are what we call Grandmasters."
Knowing countless martial arts, understanding their principles, and combining them with a flash of inspiration—only then could a new martial art be born. But Yoo Jeong lacked both the knowledge and the experience.
"If not that..."
"Then you must become not just a master, but an absolute master."
Grandmaster Goeng-ryo chuckled warmly. Hearing those words, Yoo Jeong recalled his master's sword dance. Instead of a world-shattering sword momentum, his master had painted a simple, incredibly warm landscape. That sword dance was not the result of combining complex martial principles.
"An absolute master."
"If you reach the supreme realm, your spirit will rise, and your essence and qi will naturally follow, will they not?"
"Is it possible to reach such a realm?"
"Did your master not achieve it?"
"...She did."
Yet, the path ahead remained just as bleak. He had reached the Transformation Realm and achieved the communion of heaven and earth. He had harmonized his essence, qi, and spirit. His internal energy flowed without lack, and even now, his body and qi moved the moment his intent arose. To vaguely tell someone like Yoo Jeong to simply become stronger felt even more difficult than walking the path of a Grandmaster.
"Hohoho. Enlightenment can find you even while you are eating a meal. The more profound the realm, the more it depends on a single, trivial realization. What is the rush?"
"I am not anxious. I have simply realized once again how arduous the path ahead is."
"Which brings me to my point."
A peculiar smile appeared on the wrinkled face of the old monk. Grandmaster Goeng-ryo wore a mischievous, almost playful expression.
"Would you care to learn some martial arts?"
It was an out-of-the-blue offer. Nevertheless, Yoo Jeong understood why he was bringing this up. The issue lay elsewhere.
"From you, Alliance Leader?"
"Hoho. I cannot leak the martial arts of my own sect, but there is a legal way for you to learn the techniques of various sects."
"Is there something you want from me?"
Though he seemed like a friendly old man, Grandmaster Goeng-ryo was ultimately the Alliance Leader of the Wulin Alliance. Furthermore, from what Yoo Jeong had observed so far, he was not a man who abused his authority.
"Ahem."
"I am still considering the Covenant of the Northern Sword."
"Yes, I am grateful that you are at least considering it."
A brief flicker of embarrassment passed through the monk's eyes, which shone with profound wisdom. Clearing his throat a couple more times, the old monk spoke.
"I shall open the Hidden Dragon Martial Library to you. In exchange, I have a favor to ask..."
Yoo Jeong stood before a building surrounded by heavy security and defensive formations.
Staring up at the plaque hanging there, Yoo Jeong let out a bitter smile.
The Dragon and Phoenix Gathering...