Chapter 98: Guiding to the End (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 98: Guiding to the End (2)
After examining the secret manual of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword dozens of times, Namgung Jun crossed his legs and sank into meditation.
He purged his mind of everything he had just studied—the mnemonic formulas, the illustrations, the martial insights, and the core principles of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword.
The only thing he allowed himself to remember was its name.
The achievements of his past life faded away like mist in the morning sun. Finding a new path within the same martial art, especially with only a few incomplete formulas, was no easy task. He risked creating something far worse than the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword he had mastered in his previous life.
'It doesn't matter.'
Even his mistakes, failures, and moments of stagnation would one day be seen as steps on his path forward.
The fragmented mnemonic formulas of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword drifted through his mind.
Guiding to the End.
The intent to guide something to its absolute conclusion.
In his past life, the Sword Emperor had trained in the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword with the determination to reach the absolute limit of the heavy sword.
But what about now?
Namgung Jun began to deconstruct the remaining formulas of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword. They felt familiar, yet entirely new. The insights and inspirations of the successive leaders of the Azure Heaven Association, who had struggled for generations to restore the technique, were intertwined in a complex web.
Unlike the Sword Emperor, the past leaders had not been bound to the heavy sword. The Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword was a technique the Sword Emperor had created in his later years. Naturally, the disciples of Namcheon Palace had never been initiated into it; most only knew of its existence and had never witnessed it firsthand.
Aside from the Sword Emperor himself, the secret manual was the only way to learn the technique. Since that manual had been damaged, leaving only fragments, it was understandable why the leaders of the Azure Heaven Association could never grasp the proper path to its restoration. With no one to demonstrate the technique and no historical records to provide clear direction, it seemed they had tried to restore the supreme sword art by projecting their own interpretations onto the fragments.
Because of this, the mnemonic formulas and principles had not become rigid within the confines of the heavy sword. Instead, they possessed the freedom to expand in any direction.
'Indeed. In my past life, I concentrated all my realizations and forcibly aligned the core of the sword technique with the heavy sword.'
Even just by looking at a fraction of the formulas, a thought flashed through Namgung Jun's mind.
'Was there really a need to do that?'
In his past life, when he had first created the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword, he had been brimming with pride, believing no heavy sword in the Jianghu could compare to it.
But now?
It was certainly a sword art of immense power, but he could feel its limitations. It was far too biased. It almost seemed to stem from stubbornness and obsession.
Namgung Jun realized something.
His vision had been obscured by the very walls he had built himself.
'I will let go of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword of my past life.'
Namgung Jun slowly dismantled the version of the technique that existed in his memories. In the process, the principles of the Great Derivation Sword Technique and the Vast and Empty Sky flickered before him.
The mnemonic formulas of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword began to fill the gaps that had formed during the transition from the Great Derivation Sword Technique to the Vast and Empty Sky.
'The end I desire now is different from the one in my past life.'
Since the destination was different, the path had to change as well.
The core principle and martial insight of "Guiding to the End" remained perfectly preserved in Namgung Jun's mindscape. It was enough for it to remain as a mere fragment of insight rather than the central tenet of the sword technique. The insight and core principle Namgung Jun pursued this time was already the Vast and Empty Sky.
A vivid, writhing inspiration began to take root deep within him.
Boom!
Amidst this process, a thunderous roar erupted in his mind.
Suddenly, the mnemonic formulas of the Spear King Azure Aura struck the core of his mindscape like a lightning bolt. The uniquely free and boundless formulas of the Spear King Azure Aura intertwined with those of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword.
Their shared intent became a bridge of enlightenment, connecting the Great Derivation Sword Technique and the Vast and Empty Sky. As if they had been created to be performed together from the very beginning, the insights and formulas of the heart method and the sword technique blended seamlessly.
Namgung Jun's mind was flooded with a celestial blue light, but it failed to reach its conclusion, cutting off abruptly halfway through.
The realization had not yet fully materialized.
"Phew."
Exhaling a long sigh, Namgung Jun regulated his breathing. He hadn't achieved a definitive breakthrough, but he had firmly established his direction.
'There is no need to be bound by the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword of my past life.'
Namgung Jun caught his breath. He now understood why Hahu Seon had given him the secret manual.
He looked at the manual one last time. Since he had already memorized all the formulas, there was no longer any need to keep it.
Having made his decision, Namgung Jun immediately headed toward the Azure Heaven Pavilion.
* * *
Hahu Seon, who was carving a wooden sword as usual, welcomed Namgung Jun.
"Have you run into a wall?"
"No, sir." Namgung Jun held out the secret manual of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword. "I am here to return this."
"Why is that?"
"Because I've realized something. While you may wish for the restoration of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword, Association Leader, it's impossible."
Hahu Seon stared at Namgung Jun for a moment, then let out a faint smile. "You give up surprisingly quickly."
Namgung Jun shook his head. "Instead, I gained a new realization."
Surprise flickered in Hahu Seon's eyes. "I'm curious to hear what you've realized."
"I've recorded it, though it's still unrefined." Namgung Jun pulled out a new secret manual. "Allow me to recite the contents for you. If you find it acceptable, please keep it."
Hahu Seon listened as Namgung Jun recited the contents of the manual via Voice Transmission. When he finished, Hahu Seon remained silent for a long time before setting down the wooden sword he had been carving.
"The successive leaders of the Azure Heaven Association dreamed of their own 'Guiding to the End,' passing down insights and formulas as they raced toward their destination. Yet, you have strayed from that path entirely to pursue your own 'Guiding to the End.'"
While the past leaders had filled in the blanks, dreaming of their own version of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword, Namgung Jun had used it not as a destination, but as a new starting point.
'To achieve such a high level of realization in such a short time…'
The insight contained in the manual Namgung Jun presented was truly precious.
"Astonishing."
It was true that he had harbored some expectations when he handed the manual to Namgung Jun. He believed that with the youth's brilliant talent, he might achieve a degree of restoration that had eluded all the past leaders of the Azure Heaven Association. Yet, defying all expectations, Namgung Jun had presented an entirely new path.
'Truly incredible.'
As Hahu Seon savored the realization Namgung Jun had shared, Namgung Jun spoke. "May I offer an opinion regarding the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword?"
"By all means. Speak."
"I believe there is no need to be bound by its restoration."
"Indeed. The realization you gained branches out in a completely different direction from restoration."
Namgung Jun paused to catch his breath before continuing. "Rather than clumsily patching up something whose true form is unknown, it would be better to focus on the martial arts that remain fully intact. The Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword is enough just as it is now."
"Is that so?" Hahu Seon gently stroked the cover of the manual and stood up. "Would you like to walk with me for a moment?"
"Yes."
Hahu Seon and Namgung Jun walked side by side. Behind the Azure Heaven Pavilion lay a small bamboo grove. The gentle rustling of the wind through the leaves brought peace to the mind.
"The Spear King Azure Aura I taught you, and the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword, are martial arts of a sect that was destroyed long ago." Hahu Seon caressed a straight-growing bamboo stalk. "The Azure Heaven Association was founded by a survivor of that destroyed sect. The bloodline of that survivor has been passed down to this old man."
"What was the name of the sect?"
"Namcheon Palace."
Namgung Jun simply nodded quietly. He had already expected this, so he wasn't surprised. However, hearing the name "Namcheon Palace" from another's lips stirred something deep within his heart.
"It seems the successive leaders of the Azure Heaven Association, while serving as heads of the association, have desperately tried to keep the legacy of Namcheon Palace alive. The Spear King Azure Aura and the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword are proof of that. Though, of course, we failed to restore the latter…"
"Are you bound by Namcheon Palace?"
"Perhaps. The leaders of the Azure Heaven Association carry the weight of being descendants of Namcheon Palace alongside their duties as head of the association."
Namgung Jun fell into thought for a moment before speaking. "What kind of place was Namcheon Palace?"
"What do you mean, what kind of place?"
"I don't believe a sect's legacy is carried on solely through its martial arts. If the will and philosophy the sect pursued are passed down, that too is a way of preserving its legacy. If the identity of the sect continues, it will naturally dwell within the martial arts as intent."
Hahu Seon could not immediately answer.
Nevertheless, Namgung Jun continued. "If the Azure Heaven Association is carrying on the identity of Namcheon Palace, then I believe you have nothing to worry about."
"You mean there is no need to be bound by the restoration of the martial arts."
Of course, opinions on this would differ among the people of the martial world. However, as the last Palace Master of Namcheon Palace, Namgung Jun's thoughts were clear. Unlike the Spear King Azure Aura, the majority of the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword had been lost. It was safe to say it had lost its original form. It was a martial art that existed in name only.
Rather than being bound by such a thing, it was necessary to move toward the future. While valuing the past, reflecting on it, and developing from it were essential, it was sometimes necessary to let go of the past and face the world with empty hands.
There was no single correct answer to moving forward. Taking the first step was what mattered.
Thus, Namgung Jun was simply presenting a new path to Hahu Seon. "If the 'Guiding to the End' of Namcheon Palace and the 'Guiding to the End' of the Azure Heaven Association are the same, wouldn't that be enough?"
"The Azure Heaven Association's 'Guiding to the End'… I see. So that was it." Hahu Seon fell into deep thought, then crossed his legs and sat down right there.
Sensing that an epiphany was upon him, Namgung Jun stood guard.
Half a day passed in this manner, and the sky was dyed in shades of orange.
Hahu Seon slowly opened his eyes.
"Association Leader."
"You stood guard for me. Thank you." Rising with Namgung Jun's support, Hahu Seon smiled. "I dedicated my entire life to restoring the Namcheon Guiding-to-the-End Sword. Yet, after hearing your words, I feel as though a long-standing inner demon has vanished."
"I am glad to hear that."
"Thank you." Hahu Seon gently patted the back of Namgung Jun's hand. His warmth seeped through the deep wrinkles carved into his skin by time.
* * *
"Phew."
Namgung Jun barely managed to push himself up from his bed. A seizure from his Nine Yin Severed Meridian—one that hadn't struck in some time—had suddenly run rampant.
'It certainly gets worse after opening the meridians.'
Of course, his internal energy mastery had increased, and he was minimizing the pain as much as possible by circulating his internal energy during the seizures, but the intensity of the attacks was growing proportionally.
He had no choice but to endure it. Opening all the severed meridians at once was nearly impossible, and his body wouldn't be able to withstand it anyway. He simply had to go through the painful process of opening them one by one.
'Even so, this is the right path.'
Once a meridian was successfully opened, his internal energy would increase far more than it would from consuming most spirit elixirs. This was especially true now; although he had achieved harmony among his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, he had not yet achieved their unity. It was proof that they had only reached a rough balance, and that fine adjustments were still needed. It was evidence that his body and internal energy had to grow even further.
It was then that he heard familiar and welcome footsteps approaching from a distance.
"Jun, did you have another seizure?"
"Yes. I am fine now."
"Is that so? Then we must prepare quickly."
"Prepare for what?"
Lee Se-ha flashed a meaningful smile.
"Opening the meridians."
Namgung Jun's eyes widened.