Radiant Ascension Path

Wi Yu and I stood atop the valley stream beneath the waterfall.

Thanks to my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Blessing of Water skill, I could stand on the surface with ease. She held herself aloft through sheer inner energy.

"I've adjusted the basic forms of the Yeongcheon Style slightly and overhauled Yeongcheon-gigong, lowering the entry barrier."

"So anyone can learn the Yeongcheon Style now?"

Wi Yu nodded.

"Anyone will be able to enter the Yeongcheon Style. But to reach the higher realms beyond that, talent is required. The same holds true for every other martial art, so it can hardly be called a flaw."

She taught me the revised Yeongcheon Style. Perhaps because I had already mastered the Yeongcheon Style trait, I grasped her modifications in a single breath.

The Yeongcheon Style divides broadly into three tiers: fundamentals, combat techniques, and advanced techniques. Most aspirants wash out before they can even lock in the fundamental stances — but with her revisions, far more people would be able to learn those basics.

The combat techniques are applications of the fundamentals. Effort alone can carry someone that far. The advanced techniques, however — split between Shadow and Lightning Flash — belong to the realm of talent. Only the gifted would ever master them.

That alone was more than enough for me. Jin Seyeong would feel the same.

"I once told you to abandon the Yeongcheon Style's Shadow and pour everything into Lightning Flash."

"Yes. I've let go of any lingering attachment to Shadow."

"Cheondanroegeol will serve as an excellent alternative."

"…You've mixed Cheondanroegeol with the Yeongcheon Style?"

"The forms of the Yeongcheon Style remain intact. I've supplemented Yeongcheon-gigong with Cheondanroegeol."

"…That's even possible?"

"The unique nature of Cheondanroegeol made it possible. Cheondanroegeol is a martial art that is not a martial art."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"What exactly is Cheondanroegeol?"

"A mind law. A training method that reshapes the spirit into lightning and forges the heart. And when the heart changes, the body follows."

"…Not a breathing method?"

"These days people seem to treat mind laws and breathing methods as the same thing… but a mind law is a far higher order of martial study. A proper one, at least."

"So Cheondanroegeol is a proper mind law."

Wi Yu slowly shook her head, rejecting my words.

"Cheondanroegeol is not a pure mind law. Immortal arts are woven into it. Cheondanroegeol is a martial art meant for ascension."

Immortal arts.

In the narrow sense, the techniques of the immortal realm; in the broad sense, arts that stand above even the highest-tier techniques.

And ascension, while similar in meaning to Deungseon, was not quite the same. Ascension meant transcending the laws of this world and becoming a god.

Not only did it contain immortal arts — it could even aim for ascension itself?

"…Cheondanroegeol was an extraordinary treasure, then."

"Hard to say. That alone will never be enough to reach ascension. Still, if you fully master Cheondanroegeol, you'll at least hold a clue toward it."

"Have you learned Cheondanroegeol yourself, Master?"

"Only a little — enough to teach you. I have no intention of going further. It doesn't suit me, and more importantly, I lack the qualifications."

"Qualifications? If even you aren't qualified, Master, then who is?"

Wi Yu fixed me with a steady stare.

"Thunder Spirit. Only those who possess a Thunder Spirit can learn Cheondanroegeol."

I drew a sharp breath, then let out a long sigh.

"…Master. The truth is, I don't actually have a Thunder Spirit."

My facility with lightning came from the Thunderbolt trait. Strictly speaking, it was different from what this world called a Thunder Spirit.

"What nonsense is this all of a sudden?"

"I simply handle thunder energy well. Everyone else assumes I was born with a Thunder Spirit, but that's not the case."

"……"

Wi Yu opened her palm. Inner energy gathered in her hand, crackling as it transformed into electric current.

"Yujin. Raise your thunder energy."

I did as she ordered without a word.

Crack.

Current flowed along my fingers.

"Do you see the difference between you and me?"

"Uh… no, I don't."

I didn't pretend. Feigning knowledge at a moment like this only made things more exhausting.

"I drew out my inner energy and converted it into thunder energy. You, on the other hand, drew thunder energy directly. Do you understand? That is why you are a Thunder Spirit."

"So… I'm a real Thunder Spirit?"

"Are you dismissing your master's judgment? What a rotten disciple."

"Ah — no! I trust you completely, Master!"

"I've combined Cheondanroegeol and Yeongcheon-gigong into a single energy method. …Hmm. That phrasing is a bit off. Once Cheondanroegeol is mixed in, calling it a mere energy method feels wrong… so we'll simply call it Noecheonryu. If you learn this Noecheonryu, you will forever lose the chance to obtain the Yeongcheon Style's Shadow. Will you still learn it?"

"Don't I need to learn Noecheonryu in order to learn Cheondanroegeol?"

"You can learn them separately. The efficiency would be poor, and it would take a great deal of time before you saw results — but I will respect your choice."

"……My answer is the same as before. I abandoned the Yeongcheon Style's Shadow and chose Lightning Flash. I have no regrets."

"Good. I will teach you the formulas."

Wi Yu stepped forward in a single stride. Her right hand settled on my head. Through the crown of my skull — more precisely, through the Baihui acupoint — her true energy flowed into me. She recited the formulas of Noecheonryu in a measured voice, guiding her energy as she spoke.

I wrenched every scrap of concentration I had into memorizing the formulas and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the movement of her energy. But it was beyond what my mind could hold. The formulas were not one or two. In Chinese characters alone, they exceeded two thousand.

But I had the Heavenly Star System.

Notification windows bloomed before my eyes.

I clenched my jaw. A headache slammed through my skull as the formulas of Cheondanroegeol and the knowledge of Noecheonryu poured in.

By the time I looked up, Wi Yu had already stepped back, arms folded, watching me.

"Just as I expected. Noecheonryu suits you remarkably well. Learn it here. The water energy saturating this place will aid you."

I walked toward the center of the valley on pure instinct, then settled into a lotus position atop the flowing stream.

I closed my eyes.

This was a fated opportunity. I could not let it slip away.

Still… 1,428 days is absurdly long…

What did "optimization" even mean in the first place? I was currently at the seventh stage of Ogi. My body had advanced in step with that realm.

Is even this body not enough?

I sat perfectly still, doing nothing. Yet changes were already unfolding inside me. Centered on my inner core, energy moved without rest.

The back of my head itched. I started to move my hand — and a notification window appeared before my eyes.

Even with my eyes closed, the window was crystal clear.

This is unsettling. Better stay still. Still… I have no idea what's going on…

No amount of thinking would let me understand this situation with my ordinary mind.

In that case…

…I see. The Heavenly Star System is using Noecheonryu to build a universe inside me. My inner core and my will form the center of that universe, and Noecheonryu is the universe itself.

Thanks to Time of the Genius, the realization struck home.

The universe answered to my will.

The time had shrunk.

I used my will to help complete the universe.

Bit by bit.

Every time I helped complete the universe, the remaining time dwindled.

Wi Yu had dragged a sunbed in front of the waterfall and sat sipping a cocktail, watching the man seated in a lotus position at the center of the valley stream.

A full fortnight had already passed. Seong Yujin's hips floated roughly ten centimeters above the water's surface.

Crack. Crackle.

Thunder energy flared around his body. The change had begun that afternoon.

A success. I never expected the formulas of Noecheonryu to grant him enlightenment and let him glimpse the realm of Samjeong.

Seong Yujin would not reach Samjeong this time. He was not yet prepared.

Even if this opportunity falls short, the next one will carry him into Samjeong with ease. That preparation is underway right now.

The situation itself defied all reason.

But the world has a habit of producing the unreasonable from time to time.

In her judgment, two factors had driven Seong Yujin's enlightenment.

The first was the extraordinary compatibility between Cheondanroegeol and Seong Yujin.

The boy had already comprehended lightning. Come to think of it, he called his own lightning "Thunderbolt." In pure understanding of lightning, he may already surpass me.

The second was the Heavenly Star.

He had been born bearing the energy of the Heavenly Star — foremost among all stars. By whatever means, that stellar force was acting upon Seong Yujin.

She drained her cocktail and looked up at the night sky. Countless stars glittered overhead. She could not read the heavenly principles that shifted with each era, and so she did not know what those shining stars meant. But she was certain of one thing: somewhere among them, the Heavenly Star existed.

Someone who can read the heavenly principles will already have noticed the Heavenly Star's presence.

The world would change, and Seong Yujin would stand at its center.

Curiosity reared its head.

Wi Yu shook her head and crushed it flat. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had nothing to do with her.

"Husband is still training, I see. When will he finish?"

Mi-ryeong appeared behind Wi Yu. Having already sensed her teleportation technique, Wi Yu showed not the slightest surprise.

"It will end when it ends. …I'm hungry. Bring me a lamb steak."

"I'd rather have a hamburger."

"Lamb steak."

"We don't have any lamb."

"I checked the refrigerator. It's there."

"…That's been sitting for a while. It'll taste terrible, you know?"

"You have excellent techniques at your disposal. I trust your talents. For the record, I take mine medium-well."

"Yes, ma'am…. I'll get it ready. …Wi Yu-nim. Have you ever thought about learning to cook?"

"No."

"Tch. So mean."

Mi-ryeong was about to teleport away when a bolt of lightning dropped from the night sky and her eyes went round. The bolt struck Seong Yujin squarely on the crown of his head.

"Husband?!"

"Calm yourself. My disciple is unharmed."

Lightning continued to fall from a cloudless night sky.

"…Good heavens."

Struck by lightning, Seong Yujin poured thunderbolts in every direction. Forks of thunder energy drove into the valley stream. The current of the water reversed. The waterfall flowed upward, and lightning reflected off the surface.

"What did you do to that waterfall?!"

"I did nothing. That is simply lightning at play, rejoicing."

"Hold on — lightning rejoicing? That doesn't make any sense."

"It makes perfect sense. Nowhere is it written that lightning cannot possess a will of its own."

Mi-ryeong did not believe her. She found the true cause almost immediately.

"It's Husband. Husband's will is dwelling inside the lightning."

"…Yes. My disciple carries the soul of lightning."

The lightning raged until dawn. Then Seong Yujin opened his eyes.

A few days later, I left Nakwol Mountain for the Heavenly Demon Cult.

Deep in my chest, an ambition stirred and coiled — the drive to dominate the Heavenly Demon Cult and become the true Heavenly Demon.

I could do this.

Because I was the Heavenly Demon.