The Agony of the Demonic Heart
The interval between the incoming needles grew progressively shorter.
At first it was ten seconds.
Soon it shortened to five.
Eventually they came in rapid succession or struck vital points on both sides of my body at once.
As expected, the Three Talents Qi Gong couldn’t react to every attack.
Transferring divine power to the dantian.
Internal energy sensitivity has increased.
The divine power I had gained by Devouring Gaia’s essence was only the size of a grain of rice, so the range I could use it in was limited. Yet in this exact situation, it was perfect.
Right now I needed to amplify my internal energy manipulation rather than my mana sensitivity.
When I circulated the Three Talents Qi Gong once more, my movements became more than twice as fast as before. I focused entirely on deflecting the needles lodged in my acupoints.
A state of no-self.
I lost all sense of time, utterly absorbed in the Training Hall’s test. After what felt like an eternity, the needles that had been hammering my body finally stopped.
All body meridians are awakening.
Understanding of Qi has increased.
Martial arts achievement speed has risen by 30%.
Internal energy consumption has decreased by 20%.
“Hoo—”
I let out a short breath and opened my eyes.
“Success.”
The flow of my internal energy had become remarkably smoother. The needles launched by the Training Hall weren’t simply meant to torment the trainee. They were a grand technique designed to stimulate the acupoints. The more I deflected them with internal energy, the more my qi would awaken my body and reshape it into a vessel better suited for martial arts.
“You have to look at the long term.”
A thirty-percent increase in martial arts achievement speed might not be easy to notice right away. But the reduction in internal energy consumption was an entirely different matter. The difference would be especially dramatic when I used techniques like the Dark Shadow Soul-Chasing Sword that devoured large amounts of qi.
“I nearly got myself killed because the Three Talents Qi Gong was so inefficient.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve. Before my regression I had learned the second-rate martial art Thousand Success Technique and challenged the eleventh floor. Even then I hadn’t passed on my first try. Only after countless failures and retries had I perfectly cleared the martial arts Training Hall.
I had believed my pre-regression senses would be enough, but without the divine power I would have failed miserably.
“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”
“So watching me struggle is that enjoyable for you.”
She really knew how to dodge the subject. I clicked my tongue and rose from the floor.
Main Mission — Aptitude Training Cleared
You have perfectly passed the Training Hall test on your first attempt.
Reattempting the Martial Arts Training Hall will grant no further rewards.
As a reward, you may select one martial art from the Training Hall’s collection.
Because you achieved a perfect clear on your first challenge, you may select one additional martial art.
“Insane.”
The exclamation burst from my lips before I could stop it. I had expected an extra reward, but an additional martial art selection was beyond anything I had hoped for. My plans had just been accelerated dramatically.
“Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts.”
I chose without hesitation. The manual seemed to fall straight from heaven. It was the same art I had selected before my regression.
Grade: ★★★★
Type: Active
Achievement: 1st Star (0%)
A martial art that reinterprets the movements of wild beasts through the human body, maximizing destructive power with internal energy. Consists of twelve techniques in the first half and twelve in the second half. The latter half can only be used after reaching the 5th star.
*Requires internal energy to activate.
“Finally, a proper martial art.”
The knowledge engraved itself into my mind. The forms were identical to those I had learned before my regression. A smile rose unbidden to my lips.
“It’s structured similarly to the Blood Claw Technique, mimicking animal movements.”
“This one is a bit more unique than most.”
The higher the rank of a martial art, the more obsessively it pursued a single path. The Namgung clan’s Emperor Sword Form focused solely on the sword. The Peng clan’s Origin Lightning Blade maximized the power of the blade. Most martial arts carved a single road toward the ultimate pinnacle of combat.
The Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts walked the exact opposite direction. Its philosophy was simple: pursue the extreme movements of every ferocious beast and elevate them into true martial arts. Humans might lack sharp claws or fangs, but they possessed internal energy that granted greater speed and power than any beast.
“Exactly. Instead of obsessing over one field, it implements beast movements in many different ways.”
Its twenty-four techniques included fist, palm, claw, kick, and finger methods. It was an encyclopedic collection of combat arts. Conversely, it lacked the depth of ordinary martial arts that pursued a single field to the extreme.
“Because it reinterprets the movements of beasts. It suits me perfectly.”
The one executing the martial art was human. No matter how much internal energy one possessed or how rigorously one trained the body, the vessel remained fundamentally human. I was different. By Devouring the essences of countless creatures, I could transcend the limits of any single species.
“There’s still a long way to go before I can draw out the full power of the Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts.”
“Yes, yes, as you command.”
I gave an exaggerated bow and checked the list of available arts. The Training Hall’s rewards were first-rate to peak-level manuals. Since I had chosen the Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts as my signature technique, I now needed a heart method that complemented it.
I scrolled rapidly through the list, focusing on internal cultivation methods. Most were weapon-based. There were a few palm or claw techniques, but none tempted me after learning the Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts.
Then one caught my eye.
“This looks promising.”
I frowned. “I’m not sure if it’s the right choice.”
The Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method was a demonic art containing peak-level insights. The ominous name “Asura” said everything. In truth, demonic arts usually paired better with my ability. My unique power of constantly Devouring essences and transforming my body clashed with orthodox methods.
However, the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method was exceptionally difficult even among demonic arts.
“If I circulate the heart method with unprepared meridians, my internal energy could run amok.”
“My meridians would be torn to shreds and I’d die.”
“Because dying here doesn’t mean actual death.”
I wasn’t worried about the pain or the risk of my blood vessels rupturing. I was only concerned that after obtaining a peak-level art I might never be able to use it properly. Still, I ultimately chose the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method.
“Even if I can’t eat it, it’s still meat.”
I sat down again and began circulating my energy according to the method’s formulas. The flow moved in a completely different direction from the Three Talents Qi Gong. After one full cycle, the nature of my internal energy had changed dramatically.
If the qi accumulated through the Three Talents Qi Gong was like a gentle stream following its natural course, the qi guided by the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method was a raging wave, advancing with merciless force.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
My body shook violently. My senses, already sharpened to the limit by the Training Hall’s test, screamed in agony. I clenched my teeth and swallowed the pain.
Nyx cast her Blessing of the Night, but the pain still felt like it would kill me. At this rate I really would die. Was the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method simply beyond my current level?
No. I couldn’t give up now.
If I succeeded in mastering it here, I would be able to wield both the Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts and the Dark Shadow Soul-Chasing Sword with far greater ease.
Regeneration activated.
Blessing of the Earth Mother applied.
Blessing of the Night applied.
The power of regeneration wrapped around my damaged meridians. With the protection of two gods layered on top, my internal injuries healed at frightening speed. It wasn’t quite troll-level regeneration, but it was at least as effective as any decent healing skill.
Still not enough.
The qi influenced by the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method was too ferocious to endure with regeneration alone. I needed something to suppress that violent energy.
Then I remembered the skill I had obtained after absorbing Ness’s essence—Yeouiju. It was an organ that could store internal energy like a second dantian. If I diverted some of the qi into it, wouldn’t the burden lessen?
I guided a portion of the rampaging energy—moving like an out-of-control locomotive—into the Yeouiju. The qi that should have passed through the dantian for a grand circulation instead flowed into the Yeouiju, greatly reducing the strain on my body.
The Yeouiju has accepted a powerful surge of energy.
Unable to absorb all of it. Excess is being expelled outward.
That was enough. I repeatedly poured internal energy into the Yeouiju. All I needed was a little breathing room. I never expected the Yeouiju to contain every ounce of the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method’s violent qi.
One cycle. Two cycles. Three cycles.
The qi that had been moving according to the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method’s formulas gradually began to stabilize. The violent shaking of my body subsided, and the boiling blood vessels calmed.
Grade: ★★★★
Type: Passive
A high-grade demonic art developed in secret by the Demonic Cult. Only those born with exceptional bones and sturdy heart meridians can learn it. While it has no flashy characteristics, it allows the user to accumulate internal energy at a speed comparable to divine techniques. However, accumulation speed slows after reaching the supreme peak stage.
“Agh, I really thought I was going to die.”
“What’s wrong with how I look?”
Just as Nyx said, I raised my Polar Night and used it like a mirror to reflect my face.
“Ugh. It’s a complete mess.”
Blood was leaking from my eyes, nose, mouth—every pore on my face. If I hadn’t used Regeneration, my meridians really would have burst and my body would have been torn apart.
“Of course.”
I grinned.
More than double my previous internal energy. The heavy sensation in my dantian made me smile without realizing it. Without the Yeouiju, Regeneration, and the protection of two gods, my meridians would have ruptured and I would have vomited blood from every hole in my body before dying.
Well, even if I died I would have simply been ejected from the Tower.
Still, how frustrating would it have been to receive a peak-level martial art as a reward only to be unable to use it?
“I’m fine. No, I actually need to loosen up a bit.”
Thanks to fully mastering the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method, the burden on my meridians had vanished. My internal energy had increased and I had even learned new martial arts.
“The twelfth floor should be perfect for a test.”
Hehehe.
I let out a low, sinister laugh and pressed the button to challenge the twelfth floor.