Akashic Records: The Path of the Thrust
Nam Gyuil was reading a book from the Akashic Records.
"Cheonma? Of all the books to pick first, it had to be something on the Cheonma Divine Cult?"
Nam Gyuil furrowed his brow. The word Cheonma made it clear this dimension's knowledge revolved around murim.
Huh? Wait a minute. Does that mean there could be supreme martial arts manuals here? Like the Shaolin Temple's Indestructible Diamond Body or something.
The corner of Nam Gyuil's mouth curled up slyly. In the murim world, these peerless secret manuals—valued more than treasures—were scattered everywhere. Mastering them all would make him insanely powerful.
I could even use Sword Aura way more efficiently than now.
He was excited. For now, Nam Gyuil kept reading about the Cheonma Divine Cult. Truth be told, he was a bit curious. In murim tales, wasn't the Cheonma the untouchable final boss? He wanted to know the source of that power.
As he read on, a faint sense of disgust crept in. Worshipping fire? Fine. But the martial arts... that was the problem.
The more you practice, the more madness consumes you, craving murder and violence? This isn't turning someone into a warrior—it's making a monster!
What kind of martial art was this? It was just breeding crazy killers.
Insane. Completely insane.
This art could never be allowed to spread in the world. Too dangerous.
Nam Gyuil closed the book and pulled out another. This time, something from the orthodox sects.
Oh! This looks usable.
Orthodox martial arts were nothing like the demonic cults. No descent into madness, no insanity. No bizarre side effects either. They were highly theoretical and scientific, pursuing strength through rigorous testing without drawbacks.
But the growth speed is slower than demonic arts.
Demonic arts turned you into a lunatic but made you strong fast. Orthodox ones had no side effects but grew slower. Still, orthodox was far superior. With demonic arts, you never knew when you'd snap—whoever went craziest longest basically had the real talent.
Orthodox it is.
Nam Gyuil decided to master the arts of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families. He kept reading.
The dantian is key?
The murim world differed greatly from Arnia. More advanced, especially in physical combat. According to the book, the dantian—below the navel—was the essence of martial arts. Accumulate internal energy there to grow stronger.
They call bodily mana 'internal energy' in murim.
Quite intriguing.
Arnia emphasizes mana emission from the heart, but murim strengthens the body via the dantian?
The differences were huge.
What? Murim Sword Aura is just Mana Sword? And with proper training, anyone can learn it easily?
Astonishing. Creating Sword Aura the Arnia way was brutally hard, but murim methods made it simple.
Impressive.
In Arnia, Mana Sword users were elite. In murim, they were everywhere. A higher dimension indeed.
Murim has heart-based internal energy too, but it's just auxiliary to the dantian. And heart-only Sword Aura is weaker than dantian Sword Aura.
New info. Nam Gyuil smiled at the thought of getting even stronger.
Next, murim's core: martial arts. But he uncovered unexpected bad news.
Channels extend from the dantian? The path internal energy takes determines the art's power and type?
He hadn't known this. Not even in murim novels.
The more developed the channels, the stronger the art—but those channels cause backlash or injury with other sects' arts?
For example, Shaolin arts block Huashan arts. Nam Gyuil frowned. He had to choose one sect carefully.
Then I need to pick the perfect match for my nature.
Then, an unexpected oral formula:
— A special one, tempered by Yang's Heart Method, can manipulate internal energy's yin and yang to master arts of any kind. —
"Whoa, what? Something like that exists?"
A total cheat heart method. Nam Gyuil immediately found and opened the Yang's Heart Method book. His expression hardened.
"Special one" means...
Shockingly, it referred to those who could enter the Akashic Records. More precisely, a murim expert from before Nam Gyuil had invented it after accessing the Records.
Someone besides me?
Reading on: That murim man became the world's greatest, even defeating the Cheonma. He created Yang's Heart Method on his deathbed.
But the issue: No one else could use it. For him, supreme; for others, just useless breathing exercises. The world's greatest died at 120, lamenting this.
Can I master it?
Nam Gyuil wondered. The expert attributed his sole success to one thing:
— The body of one who enters the Akashic Records is surely imbued with special power. —
Nam Gyuil agreed.
Definitely.
He recalled his first exit from the Records. Bedridden with a massive injury that left him unable to move a finger, yet he could speak and shift slightly. If linked to the Records...?
I'll test it later.
That was enough on internal energy.
Time for swordsmanship.
To max sword power, internal energy was key, but forms and footwork could be practiced without it.
Nangong Family sword fits Lee Chanu perfectly.
Its advanced footwork matched his agility.
For steady, heavy-hitting Hwang Ilsu, Moyong Family sword.
Han Kangsu's insight would pair with Wudang's arts.
My Arnia swordsmanship resembles Huashan.
Concentrating internal energy in one spot. Maintaining balance in impossible stances for attacks. Identical.
Arnia imperial swordsmanship is a degraded Huashan art.
Nam Gyuil nodded. Problem: Hong Shinu.
Hmm. No art fits her temperament.
Actually, bigger issue: She had no defining traits.
Stubborn persistence?
Talentless, all she had was grit. Nam Gyuil sighed deeply.
Maybe teach her magic or spirit arts instead.
His mind raced. Hong Shinu might shine elsewhere.
I hope so.
If no talent there either...? Cold truth: No big expectations in combat.
Then a book caught his eye: Hao Gate One Sword.
Nam Gyuil pulled it out and read. Hao Gate: murim's weakest group. In a might-makes-right world, the powerless died easily. Survival of the fittest.
Those born poor, unable to learn arts, or talentless and cast out. Hao Gate formed from such tragic lives.
Even leaders were mediocre, dying young without strong arts. Information gathering was their role—the only survival for fightless, penniless underclass.
Low-level info only: Tavern gossip to avoid danger.
Frustrated, one Hao Gate man honed his arts. No knowledge, so he practiced only thrusting from Samjae Swordsmanship. Thrusting alone.
No internal energy details. Just grit and desperation. To live. To avoid pointless death. To avenge against a madman testing a new blade on him...
He trained. Internal energy unknown, yet through snowstorms and scorching sun, only thrusting.
The book detailed his heart: Cursing poor fate, crushed by strong yet smiling foolishly to survive. No talent, stuck with basic Samjae.
Just like Hong Shinu.
Repeating thrusts, pouring grudges into each, he rose to top 100 masters. With thrusting alone.
No slashes or chops. But his thrust was unrivaled, piercing anything—orthodox or unorthodox.
Hao Gate One Sword: Named for felling foes with one thrust. All moves and footwork mere setups for the thrust.
Nam Gyuil closed the book.
Yes. Now I know how to temper Hong Shinu.
Nam Gyuil exited the Akashic Records.
The next day, Nam Gyuil bought a suitable house and moved in immediately. With ample funds, everything wrapped up in a day. Shy and Cute hid in boxes, unseen.
Post-move, he headed to Public Guild. Training time.
He fed everyone low-grade elixirs, then mana cultivation. Next, sect heart methods tailored to their natures, building internal energy in their dantians.
Nam Gyuil practiced Yang's Heart Method beside them. He inhaled.
A strange reaction: No power surge, but heat rose. Smoke wisped from his pores, like venting steam.
Good. "Special one" means Akashic access indeed.
He cheered inwardly. Shame he couldn't teach it to his team.
"Hoo."
Exhaling slowly, he advanced. Now, chilling cold from his body. White breath like midwinter isolation.
His body swung wildly—scorching to freezing—revealing the trial of balancing yin-yang.
But he endured, for strength. Long-suffering patience pushed to limit.
Limit reached.
Nam Gyuil exhaled, ending. Perfect timing—team finished too.
"Hyung, what was that training?"
"Smoke from your body... dangerous, right?"
Wide-eyed stares.
Nam Gyuil chuckled. "Not dangerous, so no worries."
He led them to sword training: Wudang Sword to Han Kangsu, Nangong Sword to Lee Chanu, Moyong Sword to Hwang Ilsu. All honed fitting styles eagerly, though early stage.
Nam Gyuil pulled Hong Shinu aside. Tested other fields—magic with Pharaoh's staff? Fail. Spirits? Not even low-grade. Zero talent.
"......"
Hong Shinu despaired at her incompetence. Mind blank, blood chilling.
Like Kangsu said, support role only? Just dragging everyone down? Falling behind?
As she nearly collapsed inwardly, Nam Gyuil spoke.
"Shinu."
"Yes."
"I know you're anxious and struggling."
She couldn't reply. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"No talent for magic or spirits, so swordsmanship left—and even that's weaker than others."
Hong Shinu clenched her fists. Pathetic, even to her. But no quitting.
Defiant, she shouted, "Even without talent, I'll prove effort makes you strong!"
Nam Gyuil smiled faintly. "That's the spirit."
He ruffled her hair fondly. "Become the supreme thrusting master."
"Thrusting?"
"Hone thrusting until no one matches you. Practice till you drop—thrust only. Make one technique your absolute kill move."
Hong Shinu nodded solemnly. For the talentless girl, the path of supreme thrust opened.
Hunter Association President Shim Jeongun. He summoned other major guild masters for a meeting. No Han Ducheol, of course.
Shim Jeongun spoke. "Lots of new guilds lately?"
"Yes."
Unha Guild's Hwang Hiryong answered. Shim tapped the desk.
"Newbie guilds need senior guidance, right?"
"Understood."
Shim smirked viciously. "Guidance" was pretext. Real intent: Crush them with force, no rebellion.
"Nam Gyuil started a guild?"
Hwang nodded. "Public Guild."
"Pay special attention. Get it?"
"Yes. Understood!"