Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method (2)
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Thud.
I collapsed to the ground without realizing it.
My legs had given out completely.
'What the hell was that just now?'
It was an experience beyond words.
It felt like I'd thought of something and expressed it, but looking back, I wasn't even sure if that captured it right.
It was like something had scraped the deepest recesses of my brain, like a raw wound on my heart.
So there I was, just opening and closing my mouth uselessly, when AlphaGo spoke up.
"No need to worry. To properly implement the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method, you need at least the Position Manifestation realm. It's only natural that someone at your level can't comprehend it."
AlphaGo reassured me in that mechanical tone of hers.
Of course, it didn't reassure me one bit.
There were a bunch of reasons for that, but...
"Um, sorry, but... I haven't learned the full martial arts system yet...?"
First off, I barely knew this world's martial cultivation stages—like Position Manifestation or Form Completion or whatever.
"Query. Didn't Colorless Bird teach you?"
AlphaGo tilted her head.
"Well... yeah. She said it wasn't really necessary right away for learning the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture's techniques...?"
Hmm. AlphaGo seemed to mull it over for a moment before nodding.
"Understood. The Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture lays the foundation—like fertile soil. Establishing your own path comes later, so no need to know it yet. Logical choice. But from now on, you need some knowledge. I'll start by explaining the martial cultivation system."
She was going to teach me the martial arts system?
Music to my ears.
Back in school, I never cared much for theory, but ever since getting invited to the Martial Gods' community, I'd craved it more than anything.
As if scratching that exact itch, AlphaGo launched straight into the lecture.
"First: Flesh Tempering. The stage of tempering the body. Planting a tree in the soil. Accumulating internal energy is ultimately for strengthening the body."
Hearing that, I shot my hand up.
"Uh, can I ask questions if something comes up during the lesson?"
"Approved."
"Okay, question. What's the difference between tempering the soil and planting the tree?"
"Simple. Tempering the soil is preparing your foundation. Planting the tree is choosing and walking your own path."
AlphaGo raised her right hand to chest level.
Starlight gathered, forming a miniature landscape about a handspan wide.
The earth shimmered in soft pink hues, easy to guess it symbolized the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture.
Then, a single tree sprouted from the soil.
A tree with no color yet.
No fruit, no flowers—it could become anything.
"You can prepare your foundation without choosing a path. A solid foundation helps when you do advance. But once you choose a path, you must follow it. Flesh Tempering is the entry to that."
"So the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture isn't a path?"
"Negative. It can become a tree. But its overwhelming compatibility also makes it ideal fertile soil. Colorless Bird showed you that potential."
Ah, got it.
'So Colorless Bird laid my foundation with the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture before I dove into serious cultivation?'
It was starting to make sense.
"So learning martial arts from you means advancing to Flesh Tempering properly? Wait—no, hold on. Didn't you just say you need Position Manifestation or higher to master the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method?"
"Negative. Position Manifestation is for fully implementing it. But you can learn the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method for reaching Flesh Tempering without full mastery."
"Huh? That's like..."
"Affirmative. Just like the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture. The Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method is optimized for Flesh Tempering even without great attainment."
No wonder it felt familiar.
"Lay the foundation with the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture, plant the tree with the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method. That's your goal."
AlphaGo's words lacked human warmth—cold and mechanical—but that made the core points crystal clear.
It sparked a flurry of questions in me.
"So what's next? If Flesh Tempering is planting the tree, what comes after?"
"Next is Qi Circulation. This achieves full circulation of qi in the tempered body. Here, 'qi' doesn't just mean internal energy from a cultivation method."
The light cluster above AlphaGo's hand shimmered again.
More trees sprouted beside the first, turning the lonely soil into a lush forest.
"Circulation means endless flow. A single tree withers and ends. But a forest lets fallen leaves, wilted flowers, dropped fruit bloom anew. Not infinite, but cyclical. That's Qi Circulation."
The forest above her hand cycled through life.
Old trees withered and died, new sprouts and saplings taking their place.
They grew to fill the gaps, roots spreading out.
The forest expanded into a vast continent.
Something writhed within, hinting at an independent ecosystem.
"This cycle eventually forms a grand circulation. The stage of forming a 'form'—called Form Completion."
Laws settled into the continent.
Creatures lived by the forest's rules.
They ate what it provided, trembled in fear when it raged.
But rebellion always sprouts somewhere.
Some creatures rose against the laws.
Boom—
A towering tree toppled, replaced by something wooden—a sign of civilization dawning.
The forest shrank, but the light's scale grew.
From above, the world of light flourished and decayed in brilliant cycles.
Yes.
It was no longer a continent—a full world.
"These emerging forms intertwine into vast laws. Your tree becomes a forest, forests a continent, and from there, something reaches the world. Manifesting laws directly in the world—that's Position Manifestation."
"...Ah."
What could I say?
It was incredible.
Sublime.
My tree growing into a forest, forests into continents, and things arising there achieving more.
It filled me with overwhelming emotion.
Whoosh—
The grand world's light scattered away.
AlphaGo fixed her impassive gaze on me.
"Do you understand why you must temper the soil?"
"Yes. Completely."
Whether growing a tree, a forest, or beyond—
The soil had to be solid first for anything to thrive.
And the same held for what came next.
The first tree had to be strong and true for the forest to spread grandly.
That was the insight AlphaGo imprinted on me.
One question resolved.
But solving it birthed another.
"Okay, but what exactly is the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method? You said you need Form Completion to master it, but it's the best for body tempering even without understanding?"
Even after experiencing it firsthand, I still didn't grasp what it was.
Especially after realizing the vast gap between Form Completion and Flesh Tempering.
AlphaGo replied in her usual flat tone.
"I'll show you."
Hum—
Next, the lights that had formed forests, continents, and worlds reshaped.
This time, a small fortress appeared.
A miniature on her palm, of course—but terrifyingly intricate and complex inside.
But still...
"Is this the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method? It seems kinda... lacking."
The one I'd felt was indescribable even after living it.
This miniature fortress, no matter how detailed, fell way short of capturing that moment.
Then—
Hummm—
New light clusters gathered over the miniature fortress.
At first, I thought they were external defenses,
'No, what the hell is this?'
But no.
The lights took clear, monstrous forms—sharp fangs, savage claws, writhing tentacles. Bad news at a glance.
I was sure.
Real mutant horrors.
"What are these things?"
"Grade-1 Catastrophe Beasts. Giant Alien, Cosmic Ugly Thing, Astral Looter, etc."
AlphaGo named them fluently.
Then, a massive battle unfolded.
Monsters tore through the sky, launching an aerial assault on the ground fortress.
Like something out of a monster flick, they filled the heavens and dove at the fortress.
But that moment—
Hummmm—
Countless lights erupted from within the fortress, firing en masse at the descending horde.
Kaboomkaboomkaboom!!!
The monsters' onslaught was fierce, but the fortress's anti-air barrage was a level above.
It looked just like—
'Iron Dome?!'
Not a single invader survived.
The overwhelming, precise barrage obliterated them all.
A scenario that would've sparked apocalypse in our world—but the fortress allowed zero errors, annihilating the mutants.
Snap.
The vision ended.
"The Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method calculates the movements of heaven and the changes of mechanisms in advance, enabling response to any attack. Master it, and you'll counter anything."
"Ooooh!!!"
Insane.
Honestly, Colorless Bird's Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture incantations were still hazy. Great cosmos this, little cosmos that. I'd even made Purple霞 Divine Pellets with it, but the ultimate goal felt overly esoteric. AlphaGo, though, showed audiovisual proof, making its pursuit crystal clear.
'A martial art for Tesla-grade space defense!'
I got why the gallery folks recommended it second. In end-times apocalypse, survival comes first. Survive, and growth is endless.
But,
"So how do I learn it?"
I got that it was awesome. AlphaGo's demo was straight-up Space Odyssey sci-fi combat. Problem was, I'm at Stone Age level—caveman with a rock axe. Show me sci-fi ideals? Doesn't feel possible.
But AlphaGo replied calmly.
"No worries. You don't need to."
Snap.
Her finger pointed right at me.
"I'll engrave it directly into your body."