Chapter 320: Question Mark
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 320: Question Mark
Sitting in the lotus position with my eyes closed, I focused on my meditation, mulling over Vajra Divine Monk’s words.
I continued for hours.
But that didn't mean I could grasp the true meaning behind his words.
As more time passed with no significant gains, a doubt that had seeped into a corner of my mind began to rear its head.
Is this really the right way?
Is spending my time like this really the answer?
Wouldn't it be more beneficial to learn even one more technique from Vajra Divine Monk?
I quietly shook my head.
As I was now, I couldn't be certain of anything.
So I decided to continue dissecting Vajra Divine Monk’s words one by one, repeating them endlessly until I fully understood their meaning.
Vajra Divine Monk had clearly stated that to reach the state of the Gate of Emancipation through Emptiness, one must first go through the process of awakening to the principle of Emptiness (空).
But his words—about abandoning attachment to form, about realizing the true essence of existence—none of it truly resonated with me.
So, I decided to change my line of thinking.
I began circulating my Qi, recalling the sensation I felt when I had successfully replicated the step Vajra Divine Monk had shown me.
Vwooom-
The utterly familiar sensation of the Formless Vajra Art’s energy, followed by the Crimson Cloud Thunder energy and the Asura energy, circulated through my Eight Extraordinary Meridians, enveloping my entire body.
‘My magic power is still unresponsive… but at least it has some decency, I guess.’
One cycle, two cycles, three cycles… all the way to twelve.
In the blink of an eye, I had completed the Yin-Yang Circulation of a Small Heavenly Cycle, what people commonly call the Small Heavenly Cycle.
But I didn't stop.
I remembered how the true Qi Vajra Divine Monk had infused into me had circulated rapidly through my meridians, amplifying itself several times over.
If I could succeed in replicating that amplification of true Qi on my own, wouldn't I be able to find a clue to this principle of Emptiness?
Vwoooom-
The circulation of my true Qi began to accelerate according to my will.
Meanwhile, I replayed the sensation of that moment when I had succeeded in perfectly mimicking his step in my mind.
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times.
I recalled the state of selflessness, where my body felt as if it had been freed from all restraints, becoming infinitely free.
‘…How in the world did I do that?’
It was a difficult question I couldn't readily answer, no matter how much I pondered it.
After a long while, I eventually decided to go back to the beginning and mull over Vajra Divine Monk’s words one by one.
-There is no such thing as an unchanging substance. Therefore, one needs the meditative concentration to contemplate that all phenomena (一切萬有) are empty (空).
To contemplate that all phenomena are empty.
Simply put, it meant that nothing in the world has a fixed substance and is always changing.
Just as the me of yesterday and the me of today are not entirely the same.
My head understood it, but my heart found it hard to accept.
It wasn't like I was a monk studying the mind.
In the end, I decided to try shifting my perspective again.
Vajra Divine Monk probably meant that even sordid things that stimulate humanity’s primal desires—like money, power, and fame—also lack a fixed substance, so there was no need to obsess over them.
Therefore, I had to let go of greed and free myself from being bound by worldly things like money and power.
But I wasn't a monk.
And I had no intention of studying the Buddhist Dharma.
So, the old-fashioned advice to free myself from personal desires didn't resonate with me at all.
Ultimately, I needed my own interpretation.
And so, more time passed.
By the time I could no longer guess how many times I had repeated the Small Heavenly Cycle, a question suddenly popped into my head.
‘Does a sword also have no substance?’
After long deliberation, the answer I arrived at was ‘yes.’
It was true that an object was classified as a sword based on its shape, material, and use, but that was only because the conditions for being a ‘sword’ had temporarily come together. Depending on the situation, the purpose, and the will of the one who wields it, a sword could change in any number of ways.
If someone used it to harm another, it became a tool of slaughter. If a chef used it, it became a cooking utensil. If an artist used it, it became a sculpting tool.
A sword has no fixed substance.
And that must be the same for a martial artist’s sword.
Depending on how I wielded it, it could become the sword of the Orthodox Faction that slays evil, or it could become a helping hand that saves someone.
The essence of all creation changes according to the mindset of the one who acts.
So, even if what I held in my hand was a sword, there was no need to be trapped by the fixed idea of a sword.
The same went for the profound principles of the formless.
Just as a formless ghost can pop out from anywhere at any time, a formless sword should be able to cut anything it desires to cut.
Crackle!!
I activated the Formless Electric Body and looked at my half-blocked Ren and Du Meridians.
For a martial artist, opening the Ren and Du Meridians was just as important as enlightenment.
Although I had only managed to open them halfway even after taking the Prajna Divine Pill and Bireciel’s essence, for some reason, I felt like I could do it now.
Call it a vague sense of confidence.
That’s how sure I was.
VWOOOM!!
The flow of true Qi rushing through my meridians grew more and more intense.
As if competing with each other, the different energies began to swell and amplify.
‘It’s coming…!’
KIIIIING!!!
An explosion of energy, incomparable to when I had taken the elixir, tried to break through my blocked meridians.
This wasn't intentional.
It was simply a collision of energies trying to escape the cramped meridians.
BOOM, KRAAANG!!
Amidst the tremendous shock that felt like my entire body was collapsing, I clenched my teeth so hard I thought they would break.
This was a sign.
A sign of a realm advancement, where the lower and middle Dantians would finally unite, and furthermore, the very structure of my body would be completely transformed!
Rumble-rumble-rumble-
I could no longer stop the Small Heavenly Cycle by my own will.
This was a massive current.
To avoid being swept away by it, there was only one thing I had to do.
‘I have to endure…!!’
I let out a silent scream amidst the excruciating pain that made my consciousness grow dim.
If I collapsed here, I would surely fall into Qi Deviation.
But the Ren and Du Meridians showed no signs of opening.
How much time had passed?
An hour? Three hours? Or maybe half a day?
I didn't know.
It had been too long since my sense of time had blurred.
The endless endurance pressed down on me, threatening to shatter even my mental barrier.
Grit!
But I bit my tongue to stay conscious.
And I remembered again.
That a sword has no substance, that there is nothing I cannot cut if I set my mind to it, and that the limits of the sword are not my limits.
Crack-
At that moment, a crack appeared in the massive wall that had been blocking me.
“GUAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!”
I pushed my true Qi with all my might.
This wasn't my limit, but it was undoubtedly my full power.
BOOM, BOOM, KRAAAAANG!!
Crack-crack-crack-
The crack grew larger, and the wall began to crumble.
My true Qi raged toward a new place.
Toward a much, much wider world.
˙
˙
˙
I slowly opened my eyes.
The crushing pressure that felt like it would kill me was gone.
Instead, my entire body was overflowing with vitality, and all my energies had grown several times stronger.
It felt like I had gained at least a full cycle's worth of energy.
Moreover, not only were the half-blocked Ren and Du Meridians now completely open, but my upper Dantian had also been unlocked.
Of course, it had opened so minutely that it seemed impossible to absorb energy through it right away.
Still, compared to when it was completely closed, this was a truly enormous difference.
A smile kept creeping onto my face at this completely unexpected achievement.
But that was short-lived.
“…But why am I floating in the air?”
I was currently levitating in the lotus position.
No wonder my eye level had felt high for a while now.
“The effect of my upper Dantian opening…”
Thud!
Perhaps because my concentration broke, I fell straight down.
Fortunately, it wasn't very high, so it didn't hurt much. I was just about to dust myself off and get up when…
“You’re damn late. How long are you going to make your old master wait?”
A grumpy voice spoke as a shadow fell over me.
A smile crept onto my lips.
“Come on, how late could I be? Why are you giving your disciple a hard time when you haven't seen him in a while?”
I took his rough, calloused hand and pulled myself up.
*
When I came to my senses, Vajra Divine Monk told me that I had been lost in meditation for a week.
The moment I realized more time had passed than I expected, I suddenly thought of Cheon Yeo-hwa, who must be waiting for me outside.
-I have been abandoned…
The image of Cheon Yeo-hwa sniffling pitifully flashed through my mind, and cold sweat began to pour down like rain.
I was about to rush out of the formation when Vajra Divine Monk stopped me, explaining that time flowed slower inside it.
Hearing that, I was able to relax a little.
It would have been nice if he’d told me that before trying to hit me with his wooden fish.
Lying on the grassy plain, I looked at the screen that appeared before my eyes.
[Time Remaining: 37 hours 14 minutes 47 seconds]
Two weeks had already passed since I entered the formation.
Outside, only about four hours would have passed at most, but the time on the dating app flowed on without mercy.
For the week after my meditation ended, I followed Vajra Divine Monk’s orders, moving my body and repeating the process of solidifying the Formless Vajra Art from the very beginning.
‘…I really thought I was going to die, but I somehow survived.’
I quietly closed my eyes and recalled the past week.
-From now on, run with the Formless Electric Body active until your Dantian is completely empty. Ah, before that, put these on. They are restraints I made myself. Each one weighs about 50 gwan (approx. 187.5kg).
-Once your Dantian is empty of internal energy, do 50,000 horizontal slashes, 50,000 vertical slashes, and 50,000 thrusts.
-When you’re done, replenish the internal energy in your Dantian through Qi circulation. Once you’ve recovered, perform the techniques of the Formless Sword Art consecutively until your Dantian is empty again.
-Hm? You’re already done? Good. Do you see that hill over there? Hm? Isn't it a mountain, you ask? It’s a hill. You will now destroy that hill with the Buddha’s Palm. Of course, you may use other palm or fist techniques. However, you must not use a sword.
-Kuh, this liquor tastes good. Hm? You want to sleep? Hoho, if you want a knife in your gut in the future, you can sleep all you want.
-Ahem, your posture is a mess. Start over from the beginning.
-Tsk tsk, you passed out just from staying up for four days? You brat, back in my day, I’d stay up for seven days and nights straight and then vomit! Why is a young punk like you whining about being tired!
“…”
My body trembled in spite of myself.
They were hellish days I never wanted to experience again.
“This fucking bullshit is finally over today…!”
An indescribable sense of liberation made the corners of my mouth twitch.
I felt more thrilled than when I found out mages were exempt from military service.
But that didn't mean I was without worries.
“Profile.”
Ting-
[Kang Hyun-woo
Age: 21
Title: Virgin Killer
Race: Human
Affiliation: Earth
Class: Mage (5th Circle)
Sub-class: Martial Artist (???)
Skills: Thought Transcendence, Weakness Insight, Sex Expert, Extreme Blood…
Owned Coins: 16,800 Coins]
The part that used to say ‘Peak of the Transcendent Realm’ was now marked with ‘???’, not even Flower Realm.
I let out a heavy sigh as I looked at the profile, which didn't change no matter how many times I checked.
I had definitely opened my Ren and Du Meridians, and I had even succeeded in minutely opening my upper Dantian.
On top of that, I was now able to wield my sword imbued with the profound principles of the formless.
Although I could only do it once a day, I could now confidently say that I had entered the state of the Gate of Emancipation through Emptiness.
But even after a week, I still wasn't sure if I had reached the Flower Realm.
What even was the Flower Realm in the first place?
The Transcendent Realm was a state where one established a mental image and created an Aura, but I had no idea what the Flower Realm was.
A Sword Pill?
Unfortunately, I couldn't make one yet.
I didn't even know how to make one in the first place.
Finally unable to stand it, I had once asked Vajra Divine Monk if I was in the Flower Realm.
But all I got in return was scathing criticism.
-Tsk tsk, are you going to ask me what you should eat for dinner tonight as well?
It was absurd, even thinking about it now.
I mean, I'm his disciple, aren't I?
Couldn't he just tell me?
“…Damned depraved monk.”
While watching the white clouds drift lazily by, I opened my palm.
Kiiiiing!
At that moment, an enormous mass of Aura completely enveloped my palm.
It was incomparably larger than before.
Right now, I felt like I could beat the Ice Golem, the boss of the special gate I was trapped in with Choi Hyena back then, to death with my bare hands.
My growth rate was ridiculous, even to me.
But since I wasn't sure if I had reached the Flower Realm, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
‘Sigh, I guess this is just my luck.’
Nothing ever came easy.
“You look like you have it easy.”
“…”
I quickly sat up at the familiar voice that reached my ears.
It was Vajra Divine Monk.
“…Are you nagging me for lying down now?”
“Hah, listen to this brat’s mouth. It seems you haven't been hit enough.”
I scrambled backward as Vajra Divine Monk slyly raised his wooden fish.
Damn it, it had gotten to the point where my body moved on reflex whenever I saw that thing.
“I went through hell for a week, isn't it stranger if I have anything nice to say!”
“Tsk tsk, calling that little bit of effort ‘hell’.”
“That little bit…?”
The moment I heard that, the hardships I had endured over the past week flashed through my mind like a panorama.
It was a path of asceticism that made me want to gag just thinking about it.
Having my efforts belittled, I suddenly felt a surge of anger.
Shing-
I drew the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword and ran past Vajra Divine Monk.
A single mountain, soaring in the distance, came into view.
KIIIIING!!!
A tremendous wave of energy spread out in all directions as a golden Aura and a jet-black Aura bloomed alternately on my sword.
Soon, the two energies mixed, and the resulting pure white Aura flashed with brilliance.
No, it wasn't just white.
It was as if it were completely empty.
The very definition of Emptiness (空).
Relying on my muscles, which were swollen to their limit, I swung my sword.
Formless Sword Art: Genesis.
Slice-
The sword slash that shot out from my single strike cut through the air and split the mountain in half.
The aftermath created a fierce gale, and rocks flew in all directions like volcanic bombs, as if a volcano had erupted.
Normally, I wouldn't be able to use this technique so easily, but after reaching the 6-star level of the Formless Vajra Art, I could now perform it without much strain.
Of course, my Dantian was half-empty and my arm was a little sore, but this was a huge improvement.
“How was that?”
I looked at Vajra Divine Monk with a triumphant expression.
Although it wasn't a massive mountain like Mt. Baekdu, I had split a mountain in two with pure martial arts, not magic.
Even Vajra Divine Monk couldn't just ignore this. Before I left, I wanted to hear at least one word of praise from that harsh mouth of his to feel a little better.
“Are you done?”
“…Pardon?”
But Vajra Divine Monk walked past me, his expression completely unchanged.
The moment his gaze fixed on the empty air.
-!!!!!
The meadow and the sky were split in half.
And beyond that, even the massive mountain range in the distance.
Witnessing that sight before my eyes, I was speechless for a long time.
“…A H-Heart Sword?”
No sword in hand, but a sword in the heart.
A state beyond the Sword Control Art, where one could control a sword with will alone. A state where one could harm another with will alone.
It was the supreme state, which could be called the ultimate essence of swordsmanship.
Thump.
Faced with the shocking sight of space itself seemingly being torn in two, I collapsed to the ground.
“He… split a mountain…”
Fuck…
I looked up at the bisected mountain.
It looked at least three times bigger than the one I had split, and the Sword Mark on the ground seemed to be at least 10 meters deep.
“Tsk tsk, how long are you going to stay like that? Hurry up and finish your preparations to leave.”