To Each Their Own Intent
Draw the Taiji within the Wuji.
Within the Taiji lies Yin and Yang.
Yin and Yang are the Taiji, and the Taiji is the Wuji.
Only when Yin and Yang clash does the thunderbolt roar,
for the thunderbolt is born of the Wuji.
Their clash is not a defiance of Heaven.
Just as shadows shrink and stretch with the rising and setting of the sun,
Yin and Yang may seem opposed, but they are ultimately one.
They are two, yet one; one, yet two.
What binds the two is the Middle Way, the Law of Heaven.
Thus, the power of the thunderbolt is the power of Heaven itself.
Long ago, a martial artist known as the Yin-Yang Immortal dominated the world. He wielded dual contrasting internal energies—a feat no one else could achieve—and none could defeat him. Eventually, many martial artists begged him for instruction, but the Yin-Yang Immortal never took a disciple until the day he went into seclusion.
As time passed, the Yin-Yang Immortal became nothing more than a distant legend. Even when the successors of the Heaven Sword and Earth Blade appeared, claiming to be his disciples, mastering the dual energies of Yin and Yang was still considered an impossible dream. Yet, there were those who refused to give up.
"That was the beginning of the Byeok Clan."
On the training grounds, Byeok So-gun warmed up his body while spinning his tale. Before him, Yoo Jeong listened intently. A familiar name had caught her attention.
"Our ancestors studied the thunderbolt in an attempt to catch up to the Yin-Yang Immortal."
"I see."
Yoo Jeong recalled the past. On a heavily rainy day during her childhood, a bolt of lightning had struck, splitting a massive, thick tree in a single instant. Its fierce, destructive power had left even the young Yoo Jeong in awe. Many martial arts sought to embody nature, so the idea of harnessing the power of a thunderbolt was certainly plausible.
Even the Earth Blade lineage uses the Beoncheon Jiroegong as their core cultivation method.
However, those arts merely mimicked the characteristics of lightning—its speed and raw, violent force. They did not actually manipulate true lightning energy. Yoo Jeong had only one question: why study the thunderbolt to master the dual energies of Yin and Yang?
"They say that whenever the Yin-Yang Immortal unleashed his power, it sounded like roaring thunder. It seems our ancestors drew inspiration from that," Byeok So-gun continued his explanation.
A lightning strike begins in the heavens and ends on the earth. It shakes the world with immense power in a mere fraction of a second. The ancestors of the Byeok Clan believed this was the result of Yin and Yang merging. They viewed the way lightning connected heaven and earth as a reverse process—that the union of heaven and earth gave birth to the thunderbolt.
"And as a result, they supposedly succeeded in manipulating lightning energy."
"They succeeded?" Yoo Jeong could not hide her surprise.
After all, uniting the dual energies of Yin and Yang was something no one had achieved since the Yin-Yang Immortal. If true, that ancestor would have been a Grandmaster who left an indelible mark on the history of the Murim.
"According to our records, yes. However..." Seeing her intense reaction, Byeok So-gun laughed sheepishly. "It is said that he obliterated everything within a thirty-yard radius in a single strike, but he could not withstand the energy himself and passed away immediately after."
"Ah."
Of course. She had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed still brought a pang of disappointment. It was because of her dantian. I thought I might finally find a clue on how to utilize contrasting internal energies.
Three distinct energies slumbered within Yoo Jeong's dantian. First, the pure Yang energy derived from the Cheongwang Muae Singong. Second, the extreme Yin energy obtained through the Gyuwha-bojeon. And finally... The immortal energy Master left behind.
Had she been an ordinary martial artist, her body would have exploded long ago. She had only survived because the immortal energy left by her master maintained the balance between the two contrasting forces. But it was not a permanent solution. Her martial path, the Heaven Sword, was rooted in the Cheongwang Muae Singong. If she overused it, the balance would shatter, and she could die from qi deviation. For instance, she could not use high-level sword techniques that required sword qi, like the Three Swords of Cleaving Heaven. In other words, despite being a master of the Transformation Realm, her ultimate techniques were sealed away.
That was why she had harbored a sliver of hope upon hearing his story. But it's highly likely an exaggeration.
Stories of someone living for three thousand years, or someone cleaving a mountain peak with a single strike—every sect had its share of exaggerated tales to glorify their ancestors. This was likely no different.
"Then, what about the Thunderbolt Divine Art that was passed down?" Since she couldn't just bluntly call him a liar, Yoo Jeong tactfully changed the subject.
"They say that while it doesn't manipulate actual lightning, it was a magnificent art boasting incredible speed and devastating power."
So it's probably similar to the Beoncheon Jiroegong.
Resting her fingers on her lips, she fell into deep thought. Restoring a lost martial art was no simple task. While it might be easier than creating one from scratch, a single misinterpretation of the text could instantly plunge a practitioner into the abyss.
Yet, this was an art designed to study the utilization of contrasting internal energies. Opportunities to examine such a technique were rare, and she couldn't help but feel a spark of ambition.
Wait a minute.
Yoo Jeong, who had been pinching her lower lip between her thumb and index finger, suddenly realized something.
"Young Master Byeok."
"Yes?"
"Is it really alright for you to share all of this so freely?"
To an outsider, it sounded like nothing more than a tall tale. But these records were directly tied to the martial arts of the Byeok Clan. He had even gone so far as to detail the specific characteristics of the technique. He had spoken so naturally that Yoo Jeong had almost mistaken it for an official request to help restore his family's art.
And yet, seeing Byeok So-gun blink his large, ox-like eyes in utter innocence, Yoo Jeong pressed a hand to her forehead. "Sigh..."
Byeok So-gun thought to himself, Did I do something wrong?
This was his very first journey into the wider world of the Murim. When he had announced his intention to participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, his father—who looked absolutely nothing like him—had spoken with deep concern.
"So-gun. You must always be careful with your actions. People are deeply wary of those who are different from them."
The Patriarch of the Byeok Clan, Byeok Seo-hwang, had placed a hand on So-gun's head. His hair was tightly curled to an extreme degree. With his dark skin and thick lips, he looked entirely different from the people of the Central Plains. Stroking his son's head, he had advised:
"People will misinterpret your intentions, exaggerate your flaws, and ostracize you. I worry about the pain you will have to bear."
Byeok So-gun had looked back at his father. The hollow-cheeked, haggard middle-aged man appeared frail, but So-gun did not see him that way. To him, his father was a giant, a true hero greater than any other.
"Do not worry, Father. I will always act righteously and bring honor to the name of the Byeok Clan. If I do so, the difference in my appearance will not matter."
He had spoken with bold confidence. Yet, Byeok Seo-hwang had only looked at his adopted son with pity. At the time, So-gun had not understood why.
But on his journey to the Wulin Alliance Headquarters, Byeok So-gun had finally realized why his father had been so worried, and why he had spoken those words.
People stared at him as if he were a rare curiosity. Feeling like a sideshow attraction was unpleasant, but it was still the gentler reaction. Some feared him, believing he brought misfortune, and viewed him with constant suspicion.
When he returned lost items, he was accused of being the thief. When he stepped forward to help those in danger, he was treated as an accomplice.
Yet, he never abandoned his original goal of doing what was right. Just like his father, Byeok So-gun aspired to be a true hero of the Jianghu.
But he could no longer voice his ambitions with the same bold confidence. Instead, he had grown to constantly worry if he had done something wrong.
That was why, when the beautiful young martial artist before him let out a heavy sigh, his immediate instinct was to assume he had made a mistake.
"Young Master Byeok. There is a saying in the Murim that one must always keep thirty percent of oneself hidden."
"Is that so?"
Though he knew countless tales of chivalrous heroes by heart, Byeok So-gun was sorely lacking in the practical common sense of the Jianghu. He listened to her advice with utmost sincerity. Perhaps encouraged by his earnest attitude, Yoo Jeong continued to speak.
"This applies not only to your skills but to information as well. You must also restrain your habits as much as possible."
"Why is that?"
"Because true masters can find your weaknesses from even the smallest fragments of information."
"Indeed. As expected of someone close to Elder Goegelgae, your knowledge is profound."
At his admiring words, Yoo Jeong's brow twitched.
"Young Master Byeok."
"Yes?"
"This has absolutely nothing to do with that old man."
"Is that so?"
"You would do better to thank Namgung Sua instead."
Namgung Sua. At the sudden mention of the prestigious Namgung surname, Byeok So-gun asked, "Why is that?"
"Because most of my common sense regarding the Murim was learned from her. The advice I just gave you is also something I heard from her."
"I see. This Lady Namgung Sua must be a truly wonderful person."
"...Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call her 'wonderful.'"
Yoo Jeong hummed in contemplation. She seemed to search for the right words, but ultimately let out a sigh and rolled her neck, letting out a series of sharp cracks.
"Just as we agreed earlier, let's see what you're capable of. Are you fully warmed up?"
"Yes. I shall yield the first move to you."
His opponent was a woman. No, a girl was a more fitting description. Out of courtesy, Byeok So-gun offered her the first strike, only to be met with a look of sheer disbelief.
Yoo Jeong grimaced, looking at him as if he were a clueless child. She let out a soft sigh.
"Fine. Let's begin right away."
Yes, sounds good, So-gun replied in his mind as he suddenly found himself staring up at the sky. Wait, what?
Byeok So-gun bolted upright. He blinked and looked around, completely bewildered as to why he had been lying on the ground.
"What are you doing?" Yoo Jeong spoke coldly, flicking her finger in the empty air.
"Just now..."
"Yes, I sent you flying with this."
"You are an incredibly powerful master."
His calm, matter-of-fact praise caught Yoo Jeong off guard instead.
"You saw me trade blows with that old man earlier, didn't you?"
"At the time, I thought Elder Goegelgae was simply teasing you, Miss Yoo."
For the first time in her life, Yoo Jeong realized that when a person is pushed past the limits of absurdity, they cannot even bring themselves to laugh.
As Yoo Jeong glared at him, Byeok So-gun got back to his feet.
"May I try again?"
"Show me everything you have."
Thwack! Before a single breath could pass, Byeok So-gun was flat on his back again. He sprang up, charged, got flicked in the forehead, and went flying. The cycle repeated over and over.
As it continued, Yoo Jeong began to sense something strange. What is this?
Byeok So-gun's martial arts were Second-class at best. However, his physical attributes—the explosive power and reflexes generated by his highly elastic muscles—were exceptional. His large frame and long limbs also gave him a significant advantage in reach. If the fight were limited to pure hand-to-hand brawling, even a martial artist of equal rank or slightly higher would struggle to handle him.
Yet, that was not what struck Yoo Jeong as odd. Does this man not feel pain?
She had already flicked his forehead multiple times. Looking at his swollen brow, he clearly hadn't achieved the Vajra Indestructible Body like Grandmaster Goeng-ryo. Yet, he had not shown even the slightest hint of pain. No matter how high a person's pain tolerance, it was impossible to completely suppress a momentary flinch or grimace.
Yet, Byeok So-gun continued to charge at her without a trace of fear. He truly behaved like someone who was entirely incapable of feeling pain. Even now.
He lunged forward with the swiftness and audacity of a black panther. Though his technique left a mountain of flaws to be corrected, his spirit was commendable. Yoo Jeong decided to change her approach—partly to test if he truly couldn't feel pain, and partly because...
If I keep flicking him, he's actually going to start bleeding.
Instead of flicking him, she extended her fingers to strike his pressure points. Of course, she was not Ssangjeol-papa, so she carefully controlled her strength to avoid causing any lasting harm.
From his collarbone to his flanks, and down to his solar plexus, her fingers struck like an acupuncturist's needles. Yet, aside from a brief gasp when his solar plexus was struck and his breath was cut off, he did not show a single sign of pain.
What was more... His pressure points are strange, too.
As Byeok So-gun threw a rapid punch, she lightly caught his wrist and redirected his momentum, sending him tumbling across the ground once more. Watching him roll across the dirt, Yoo Jeong asked with absolute seriousness:
"Young Master Byeok, what on earth are you?"