Chapter 226: Vast Art Formula (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 226: Vast Art Formula (6)
Creating a martial art for others was a daunting task.
He had never done it before. It was a path grandmasters of past generations walked only in their twilight years. For someone not even twenty, it was almost unimaginable.
'Martial arts are the culmination of the study of the human body.'
One had to thoroughly understand the three hundred and sixty-five acupoints, the twelve primary meridians, and the countless minor vessels beyond them. If one's insight and cultivation were lacking, the body would break.
The very first step—safely refining the pathways of true qi to prevent its flow from tangling—was incredibly difficult in itself.
Creating a specific effect through the flow of internal energy was harder still.
'This can't be something only I can perform.'
Jeong Yeon-shin was well aware that his senses were extraordinary.
He didn't dwell on it constantly, but he harbored a love-hate relationship with his talent—a talent that allowed him to set his sights on the fruit of the World Tree within three short years.
He couldn't dismiss it as the price for his shortened lifespan, nor should he. If anyone else were in his shoes, who could possibly accept it? It was an absurdity bestowed by the heavens.
Nine days had passed since he secluded himself in the pavilion of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
Nine times he watched the twilight filter through the cracks of the door, and all the while, Yeon-shin immersed himself in a single question.
If even one of his seniors or juniors could not benefit from this new martial art, the purpose of this endeavor would be lost. Everyone had to be able to learn it.
Not a single member of the Demonlight Wing could be allowed to slip through his fingers. Dying in battle during a mission was the most horrific outcome.
He did not want his subordinates taken from him, as had happened to Cheon So-so, the Lord of the Immortal Wood Spirit. Nor did he want to find himself in the position of Ha Do-un, Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing, who had agonized over the White Qilin, Namgung Hwa-shin.
'I don't have the magnanimity of Senior Jin, the Commander of the Bloodkeeper Unit. My vessel is small. I don't want to let anyone go.'
Yeon-shin sat cross-legged, drawing out every martial principle stored in his mind. He had to create a martial art that was easy for anyone in the Demonlight Wing or the Flash Art lineage to learn.
— Let's assume I'm teaching a monkey.
His thoughts converged on a single conclusion.
He explained it in the simplest terms, adding annotations to every single line of the mnemonic.
— The Demonlight Formula is a method of using the body. It can be called a comprehensive study of what can be achieved with human hands and feet. Since it is a mnemonic that instinctively guides one to the optimal form, it encompasses all combat styles—from close-quarters hand-to-hand combat to mid- and long-range spear techniques—with the sole exception of archery.
He wrote it down in a single, flowing stroke of his brush. He recalled the time he had received the Demonlight Formula from Ma Jin.
He took great care so that even if he were to die on a mission or pass away when his lifespan ran out, this manual would still convey his presence, much like his uncle's had.
— The Demonlight Formula is like a precious sword to a martial artist with exceptional senses. However, this does not apply to the practitioners who share this bond. Doubt your instincts. You must. Your senses are dull and slow. What you perceive does not align with the actual effect. Since you are not yet at a level to seek out lethal forms, it is better to use its principles to execute other martial arts. This martial art has been substituted with mnemonics to serve that very purpose.
'Since this is the core principle, I must emphasize it. The efficacy of a martial art always follows the user's mental image.'
— You must keep the aforementioned essence in your heart. Repeat to yourself, "I am wrong." Only then will your progress in this study advance. The senses of the practitioners are extremely dull. The mnemonics in this manual are correct. Follow only this core principle.
He wrote in a neat hand, penning the characters clearly in regular script, which was close to the standard calligraphy of the Great Ming Empire.
The words flowed out in an incredibly calm, serene manner.
'If they only keep this in mind, the rest will follow.'
He twisted the core principles of the Demonlight Formula and linked them to the Flash Art martial arts. "Interlocking" was the proper term for it.
He designed it so that when they reached out with their existing cultivation, the techniques of the Infinite Flower of Time Hand and the Radiant Brilliance Sword Style would naturally melt into their movements, while the footwork of the Radiant Wing Step and the internal energy layering of the Scripture of Initial Overcoming would operate in tandem.
The core concept was that the optimal form was, in itself, his martial art.
Yeon-shin did not think himself arrogant. He reasoned calmly. After all, was it not the truth?
Adaptability without Obstruction. The flow was smooth and unhindered.
The Demonlight Formula, which allowed for an uninterrupted succession of forms, was connected to the Flash Art lineage. His uncle's teachings and his own cultivation met.
Light began to bud. The internal energy, enhanced by the Scripture of Initial Overcoming, united with the shockwaves of the Radiant Brilliance Sword Style's strikes.
The white light deepened. The waves of radiance emanating from his body transformed into a unique characteristic of the martial art itself.
Nine days later.
This was the very characteristic that manifested from Yeon-shin's body as he stood in the Great Training Ground.
Sssss—
From his grip on the lowered sword, the residual shockwave of his force lingered. It scattered and sparkled in distinct, vivid streaks of white.
It rose from his calmly draped black sleeves up to his shoulders, near the tips of his hair.
As the fragments of light slowly faded, they shimmered, catching the orange glow of the sunset.
Jeong Yeon-shin, Commander of the Demonlight Wing, was...
Incredibly happy. He felt immensely proud. It was just that his expression remained unchanged. He savored a feeling he had never experienced before since he began creating martial arts.
'This turned out beautifully. It's a fine martial art.'
A sense of accomplishment far greater than any martial art he had created so far washed over him. This was a martial art created for his family.
At this moment, he confirmed it. The fortress wall that would protect the Demonlight Wing had been fully built.
"..."
But to the experts surrounding him, it did not look so simple. The Commander of the Demonlight Wing, standing still, looked like the very incarnation of martial arts.
It was not a sight that could be discussed merely in terms of martial prowess.
There was no one present who did not know the martial arts of the Flash Art lineage. Everyone knew exactly what forms had been unleashed.
They also perceived just how natural his fist dance and sword dance had been. Even as he delivered consecutive single-strike blows, the flow of his true qi remained unbroken.
He had altered the very nature of the martial lineage. Although it had the distinct disadvantage of rapidly consuming internal energy, its overwhelming power was more than enough to compensate.
He was a grandmaster.
The wind blowing past the twilight-shrouded walls was cold. It sliced against their skin, sending shivers down their spines.
A silence that seemed to choke the breath out of everyone lingered. It lasted until a speck of dust settled on the tip of the Northern Light sword.
"All members of the Demonlight Wing," Yeon-shin spoke as he sheathed his sword. The snow-white blade drew a smooth arc as it slid back into its scabbard.
It was an elegant sheathing. The blade and scabbard aligned perfectly beneath his palm.
A sharp click rang out with unusual clarity, coinciding with the Commander's final words.
"Use your bodies in this manner."
"Uh..."
Gongya Mi-ryeong, the Deep Heroic Fist—a white-ranked warrior sent by Hahu Wi-jin—let out a low groan, then startled herself.
She was a spirited martial artist who kept her hair short specifically for close-quarters combat, yet even she reacted this way.
No one blamed her. Her reaction spoke for everyone. They had just witnessed a martial lineage, once renowned for its single-strike power, transform into a martial art specialized for prolonged combat.
The principles of martial arts embedded in the dance were woven into a single tapestry.
"You want us to use our bodies like that?" Shin So-bin asked abruptly.
Yeon-shin noticed her slightly overwhelmed expression. They had grown a bit closer after the incident with the Desolate Shin Clan.
Yet, despite her bold personality, she didn't seem to feel any competitive drive regarding martial arts this time.
It was a sight that only added to Yeon-shin's sense of accomplishment. His heart swelled with confidence.
The corners of the Commander's eyes curved upward slightly. He straightened his back.
"It is easy. I wrote it down in great detail. You only need to grasp the knack of it. Any martial artist who has been initiated into either the Demonlight Formula or the Flash Art lineage will find it incredibly easy to master."
Yeon-shin thought of the book he had left in the pavilion. Anyone who read its contents would surely be moved.
They might even get so excited, just like him, that they would start eating and sleeping at the training ground. That was how easily he had written it. It was simple enough to turn even a monkey into a martial artist.
"Shin So-bin."
"Yes, Commander."
"I left the manual on the desk in my bedchamber. The ink has been thoroughly dried with shockwaves, so go bring it here immediately."
Yeon-shin ordered.
There were four copies of the manual. Since it was said that every official warrior of the Desolate Fortress possessed an extraordinary memory, it wouldn't take long for the Demonlight Wing to read through them thoroughly.
Whoosh.
Shin So-bin's white robes fluttered along with her braided hair. With swift movements, she leaped over the wall.
Tapping lightly on the top of the wall as she surged forward, her characteristically springy movement using the Body Protection Scripture truly befitted her moniker, the White Cat.
The Demonlight Wing's White Cat had been acting like the Commander's trusted confidante ever since the incident with the Desolate Shin Clan.
"It seems a new, profound principle underlies the entirety of the martial art..."
Standing to one side, Baek Mi-ryeo trailed off before speaking again. This was a public setting. It was only proper to show respect.
"What is its name?" she asked.
It was a highly significant question. Martial arts that shook the world intimidated enemies with their names alone.
Few sects in the world did not fear Shaolin's Hundred-Step Divine Fist or the Ming Cult's Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
The ultimate techniques representing the various great sects of the Jianghu each carried a weight befitting their names.
To Yeon-shin, that did not matter. This was not a martial art created for public acclaim.
'Just...'
He thought of a single character.
In this world, there are peculiar characters—words that harbor contradictory meanings within a single body.
The character Gwang (曠) was one such word.
It meant both "empty" and "bright." It was a character he had thought of even before shutting himself away. He had entered his seclusion with that single character held close to his heart.
"..."
Yeon-shin fell silent for a moment, quietly taking in the faces of his seniors and juniors in the Demonlight Wing.
These were the faces that turned his return from missions into a homecoming. Every time he faced them and spoke with them, he received a warmth he had never found at the Jeong Family Manor.
They were different from his biological brothers, who had rejected the Jeong Family Dynamic Art.
Surely, they would gladly accept the martial art he had created. They were bound by a bond like that of martial brothers of the same sect.
'I hope they grow stronger and stay by my side...'
It was a sentiment difficult to express as their Commander.
— If you disappear, my heart will be left empty and hollow, but because of you, I am brightly filled. You showed warmth to me, who had left his family behind. I am grateful. It is a debt of gratitude I can never repay.
And so, I create and hand down this martial art under the name you gave me, Flash Art.
Only one name came to mind.
"Vast Art Formula."
The Commander of the Demonlight Wing parted his lips. The name of a world-shaking ultimate technique slipped out.
It was the Demonlight Wing's time.
Standing to one side, Ak Su-rim smiled warmly.
A sense of gratification swelled in her chest like a ball of cotton, suppressing her curiosity. I should come back later, she thought.
'Where did that fellow Jin Myeong-jo go?'
Tilting her head slightly, Ak Su-rim walked away with light steps.
*
Three days passed.
Three days and nights alternated between admiration and bewilderment.
The new Commander held his first training session since ascending to the black rank. The Great Training Ground of the Demonlight Wing buzzed with unprecedented vitality.
The gazes of the experts gathered. The free-spirited atmosphere that had prevailed during Yeon-shin's seclusion had vanished to some extent.
"That's it. A bit lighter. Imagine transferring the true qi of the Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian entirely to your fingertips. The rest is as easy as turning over your hand, and your movements will flow naturally."
The Commander had lined up Shin So-bin and Heonwon Chang side by side. Even without taking their pulses, he monitored their internal energy operation through their qi waves.
To the experts of the Demonlight Wing, it was a fresh source of wonder. Though the image of the boy who had joined as their junior was still vivid in their minds, they now eagerly anticipated his guidance after witnessing the demonstration of the Vast Art Formula.
The Vast Art Formula was more of an advanced training method than a mere introductory art.
In just a few days, the challenge of increasing their overall strength was resolved. They were already formidable experts to begin with. Now, they could fully measure themselves against the elites of the Nine Sects, such as the Plum Blossom Sword disciples or the Eighteen Arhats.
"Time flies. It's already time for the promotion ceremony..."
"That Geum clan bastard of the Army Judging Blade picked a fight with me. His character isn't entirely bad, but he struts around just because he's the offspring of a great merchant guild."
"Isn't he a swordsman of the Heaven-Aligned Wing? He must have returned from a solo mission. What did he say?"
"He said we must be glad to have secured a blue rank spot, all thanks to luckily bringing in the scoundrel of the Hwangbo clan..."
"He must not know that our Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress has released seventy percent of his restriction. To only watch out for the Lazy Flame Dragon is a mistake that will cost him dearly."
"Well said."
The experts of the Demonlight Wing chuckled as they conversed.
Time passed quickly after the demonstration of the Vast Art Formula. Out of the twenty-three blue ranks and seven white ranks of the Demonlight Wing, a third had already skimmed through the manual.
They didn't pass it around one by one. They read it in groups according to the size of the combat teams established by the former Commander. The Demonlight First Team went first.
Their reactions were peculiar.
A mix of shock, admiration, and a strange reluctance. Even Cheong-myeong, the Blue-Eyed Demon Sword, was no exception.
The Desolate Fortress was a collective of martial arts that was nearly the greatest under heaven. Every single official warrior possessed outstanding talent.
There was not a single one among them who hadn't been hailed as a prodigy in their hometown.
"There they go again. Their expressions are as bizarre as expected."
Kang Chang-mu, the Dawn Tree Sword, crossed his arms with his large hands.
There was no other way to describe the expressions of those walking out of the Commander's pavilion. It was the Demonlight Third Team and a nameless disciple.
Every single one of them had their eyebrows slightly raised and their lips parted. They did not look like brilliant, quick-witted experts.
Had they suffered some unimaginable insult? Fortunately, their shock and admiration seemed to have somewhat softened their indignation.
Only the Lazy Flame Dragon wore a smirk. He strolled along, clasping his hands behind his head.
"This is it," he muttered to himself.
His voice did not reach Kang Chang-mu.
"To think even the eldest son and scoundrel of the Hwangbo clan would make such a face."
Kang Chang-mu had previously been defeated by the Lazy Flame Dragon. His eyes narrowed.
The Lazy Flame Dragon was a man who judged a person's worth solely by their talent, yet merely reading the manual had elicited such a reaction from him. It was only natural that the curiosity of the mid-ranking newcomers grew.
"I can tell even without looking. The movements of those who initiated first have changed. They've become adept at chaining heavy strikes, and they are definitely stronger than they were yesterday. Though there will be limits."
Wi Ye-ryeong, the Moon-Shooting Bow Ghost, said.
She stood loftily alongside Kang Chang-mu on the roof tiles of the Commander's pavilion, which was built on one side of the Great Training Ground.
Since the combat units of the Great Training Ground had begun practicing the secret technique, it was only proper to stand guard.
Looking down at Yeon-shin, she parted her lips. Her blue eyes held the characteristic sparkling quality of the Brightfolk.
"Commander Flash Art is a peculiar person."
"I know."
"Once you learn that Vast Art Formula, you'll realize it's far beyond what you imagine. The rumors of him receiving the Lord of the Desolate Fortress's favor were not groundless. In the future, he might even be entrusted with matters within our clan's domain."
"Are you saying the Commander will be invited into the world of immortals?"
Just as Kang Chang-mu raised an eyebrow in surprise—
A clear chirp echoed from afar. A pure white swallow fluttered down from the sky.
It flew at an incredible speed, its white feathers seemingly reflecting the sunlight.
It was a spirit beast raised by the Brightfolk for the Commanders of the Desolate Fortress. The Commander of the Demonlight Wing called it the White Swallow.
"That little one looks in a hurry."
Right after Wi Ye-ryeong spoke in her clear, resonant voice, the Commander raised his forearm slightly. The White Swallow immediately landed on it with its tiny legs.
Yeon-shin parted his lips.
"You said you were going out to play, but you went to see the Grand Steward."
"Something from the Chief Steward's Office...!"
Wi Ye-ryeong's sharp ears caught the Commander's voice.
The words escaped her lips at the same time. She stopped speaking, her eyes filling with doubt and surprise.