Touching Heaven
Had she ever immersed herself so deeply in the martial dao?
The further Ryeong delved into its mysteries, the more questions arose, yet she found herself utterly captivated by its boundless depths. Until now, martial arts had been nothing more than a tool to her. In all those days spent sprinting toward raw physical might—striving only to grow stronger a little faster, to kill others a little more efficiently—she had never once felt joy. Even when she devised the Four Divine Beasts Sword, it had been the same. Though the technique had come into being thanks to the Celestial Immortal Divine Art, the act of creation itself had brought her no pleasure.
Now, however, as she plumbed the true depths of the Four Divine Beasts Sword, Ryeong felt something bordering on euphoria. It stemmed from conceiving a way to wield the Azure Dragon's lightning qi with true efficiency—and making that concept reality.
The answer lay in compression.
She compressed the untamed lightning qi once, twice, pushing it to the absolute limit. Within a tiny sphere, the erratic, jagged energy swirled violently like a trapped tempest. As a test, Ryeong hurled the condensed sphere against a cliffside. The resulting blast dwarfed the explosive power of any firebomb, tearing the rock face apart in a spectacular landslide.
Lightning Sphere. That would be a fitting name. Its need for repeated compression meant it would be difficult to employ in fluid, close-quarters combat, but to shatter an enemy's formation in an ambush, nothing could compare. This was no gift bestowed by the Celestial Immortal Divine Art; it was a proprietary art born entirely of Ryeong's own enlightenment.
She went on to experiment with various sizes. Compressing the sphere to the smallest possible point yielded unparalleled destructive force, though in actual battle, adjusting the size to suit the moment would suffice.
It was a deeply satisfying result. Her training with the Azure Dragon's lightning qi had reached a natural pause; it was time to master the next energy. Naturally, her thoughts turned to the White Tiger's wood qi.
The White Tiger's wood qi... Honestly, compared to the other energies, I still don't understand why it carries the wood attribute.
That was the problem. If she swung a technique without understanding its true essence, how could it ever unleash its genuine power? Up until now, the destructive force of her True White Tiger Sword had been half-baked at best. It had only seemed monstrous because her innate strength was immense, and because a blade forged of celestial qi was the natural bane of any demonic practitioner. In truth, even an imperfect True White Tiger Sword boasted terrifying might.
Yet in the battles ahead, relying on an incomplete technique would invite catastrophe. Ryeong had already earned the moniker of Sword Empress, standing in direct opposition to the Demon Blood Divine Cult. The day would inevitably come when she had to lead the martial artists of the realm from the vanguard against the cult. To minimize casualties among her allies, she had to master her art completely.
The Celestial Immortal Divine Art, on the other hand, had to be left strictly alone. Immortal Hyeok had warned her that achieving great completion in the technique would force her to ascend to the heavens. She had to suppress the growth of her internal cultivation method at all costs; otherwise, one wrong step and she would end up an immortal whether she liked it or not.
Wood qi... Why wood?
In Daoist lore, the White Tiger, guardian beast of the west, was known to govern wind, earth, stone, and metal. Yet here it was, manifesting the power of wood, an element it had no dominion over.
She decided to consider it through the lens of the Five Elements. If the Vermilion Bird's fire qi and the Black Tortoise's water qi were diametrically opposed forces meant to counterbalance each other, then the White Tiger's wood qi and the Azure Dragon's lightning qi had to conflict in the same way. Among wood, metal, and earth, lightning was closest in nature to metal—and the element corresponding to metal was wood. From the standpoint of elemental harmony, assigning wood qi to the White Tiger was necessary to maintain balance within the Four Divine Beasts Sword. It was a forced interpretation, to be sure, but since the energy actually functioned that way, there was no denying it.
Even so, was it right to force an unnatural element upon the White Tiger?
She had granted the Azure Dragon complete freedom, while guiding the Vermilion Bird and the Black Tortoise into their designated elements. From the White Tiger's perspective, wasn't it merely tolerating a chore it despised?
That has to be it. The Four Symbols possess distinct wills. I can't treat them as mere qi.
Ryeong was certain of it now. The energy of the Four Symbols sleeping within her was no inert reservoir of power; they were conscious entities capable of thought and intent. She had realized this through the Vermilion Bird. Whenever she drew upon its fire, its stubborn personality made itself known, constantly thirsting for more blood and spewing hotter flames. That revelation had changed her perspective entirely. If the other energies possessed sentience as well, then speaking directly with the White Tiger should be possible.
With that resolve, Ryeong crossed her legs into the lotus position and began circulating the White Tiger's wood qi. In an instant, the vitality of wood surged through her meridians, and as if in answer, the White Tiger materialized within her mindscape.
"Have you finally decided to speak with me, child?"
'White Tiger. Is this voice yours?'
"Indeed. I wondered when we might speak, but the moment has arrived sooner than expected."
The beast towering before her in her mindscape was colossal, its sheer scale evoking an endless mountain range. Standing before such immense, ancient power, Ryeong felt a fleeting pang of inadequacy for having handled it so clumsily. The White Tiger seemed to notice, letting out a low chuckle that stirred gale-force winds across her consciousness.
"In all of history, only a single human has ever wielded my power to perfection."
'One person? Do you mean Hyeok?'
"Hyeok's son. He now stands as the Celestial Immortal Emperor, the peerless pillar who upholds the Immortal Realm."
'What? The Celestial Immortal Emperor is Hyeok's son? What kind of insane...'
Ryeong's eyes widened in disbelief. To think that stubborn old fossil's son had become the supreme sovereign of the immortals—that family lineage was far more unhinged than she had ever imagined. At the same time, she realized why she had struggled so hard to master the White Tiger's energy. If one needed to be on par with the ruler of the heavens just to control it properly, wasn't that basically saying it was impossible?
Sensing her exasperation, the White Tiger spoke with evident amusement.
"That lad was far more reckless than you. He forced water qi upon the Azure Dragon, and earth qi upon the Black Tortoise. Yet things held together somehow, for his center was steadfast."
'His center?'
"A legacy of the past, now lost to time. I am not at liberty to speak on it. Yet do not despair. I have only been waiting for you to call upon me."
A roaring tempest erupted around the beast. The howling gale was fierce enough to tear one's eyes away, yet Ryeong heard his ancient voice ring out with crystal clarity.
"Ryeong, successor to the Four Divine Beasts Sword in this era. The resolve you carry is not mistaken. Your heart—I, the White Tiger, acknowledge it. Henceforth, I shall stand as your steadfast ally in whatever path you walk."
'Wait! I still have so much to ask!'
"My authority to speak is lesser than Hyeok's. The same holds true for my brethren. If you wish to uncover the truth behind these secrets, seek out the Yue Clan."
'The Yue Clan?'
"Learn the truth there, and stave off the calamity to come. That is the very reason my brethren and I reside within your body."
With a flash of blinding light, the White Tiger's presence receded.
Ryeong snapped her eyes open. The memory of the communion remained vivid in her mind, and she sat dazed by the extraordinary vigor coursing through every vessel in her body.
"I reached the peak of the Transformation Realm...?"
Through her dialogue with the White Tiger, she had finally dismantled the final barrier before the Profound Realm, attaining the very pinnacle of the Transformation Realm. At last, she had reclaimed the height of her cultivation from her previous life.
Her actual combat strength already far surpassed anything she had possessed in her past life. Reaching the peak of the Transformation Realm meant that stepping into the Profound Realm was now well within sight. Moreover, three more wells of potential remained untouched within her. She had earned only the White Tiger's recognition; she had yet to even converse with the other three divine beasts.
Ryeong settled back into meditation to descend into her mindscape once more, but the White Tiger gently turned her away, indicating that the time was not yet ripe.
Though disappointed, she drew upon the White Tiger's wood qi once more—and froze in astonishment at the sensation flowing through her flesh.
This is wind qi...
A subtle trace of wind was now woven seamlessly into the wood energy. By earning the beast's genuine approval, Ryeong had finally unlocked the hidden power dormant within the White Tiger's qi. A surge of exhilaration warmed her chest. If this worked, could she elevate the other three elements in the same manner?
Just as that budding hope began to swell into eager anticipation, she felt a familiar presence racing toward her at breakneck speed from below.
It was Jin Yeong.
"Lady Ryeong! Where are you?!"
"Looking for me?"
"Gah! No, this is no time for banter! We have to return immediately! The Embroidered Uniform Guard has collapsed, and the fiends of the Demon Blood Divine Cult are right on Hebei's doorstep!"
Ryeong clicked her tongue in regret. If she had just a little more time to immerse herself, she could have gained far deeper enlightenment. Yet she could hardly ignore a desperate plea for aid. Above all, she had no desire to show a callous side to the White Tiger, who had just placed his trust in her.
"Let's go. Lead the way."