Central Continent - Minor Gathering of the Three Sects (5)
Central Continent - Minor Gathering of the Three Sects (5)
Cheolbyeongmun, one of the countless sects in Jungju.
The cultivator of the highest realm was just one person: the Sect Master, a Core Formation Master.
To a sizeable sect, it was a weak and insignificant sect that could be blown away with a single breath.
However, even if they had to carry dishonor.
Even if they lived as another's servant.
They were the family Gwak Cheonu desperately wanted to protect.
'A Dao Physique was born in our sect! What grand fortune! A tremendous fortune!'
'I will immediately find out what kind of Dao Physique it is!'
Back then, would things have been different if he didn't have talent?
If they had just practiced cultivation and shared simple joy together, wouldn't things have been fine?
'The Profound Iron Dao Physique? Isn't that a Dao Physique only handed down through oral legends?!'
'It is a body naturally possessing a physique like profound iron, heavily specialized in the Metal and Earth attributes! According to one legend, a person with this Dao Physique who becomes an Immortal grows larger than Mount Tai!'
Excessive talent brings misfortune.
How could a sect like Cheolbyeongmun be any different?
'We have come from Cheondogung. I would like to see the Sect Master.'
'Heok! Q-Qingxu True Person!'
That day is one he wishes to forget.
Those who swept in like a soundless wind.
'It seems the cultivation methods of Cheolbyeongmun share a few similarities with our Cheondogung.'
'Our founding master never had any particular ties with Cheondogung...'
'Hehe, no, no. There are definitely similar teachings.'
Such is the brutal tyranny of a great sect.
That day, Cheolbyeongmun was reborn not as an independent sect, but as a secular branch clan of Cheondogung.
And Gwak Cheonu also came to be called a secular disciple of Cheondogung.
'From now on, this is my disciple whom you must serve.'
'My name is Do Yunbaek, Fellow Daoist Gwak.'
That smirk wasn't easily erased from memory.
Damn it all.
So Yeonggyeong and Gu Soak.
Young female sword cultivators of Taeheogeomjong.
Their details were also etched into Gwak Cheonu's mind.
Though overshadowed by Yeon Biha, the person of interest, they too were fully qualified talents of the next generation of sword cultivators.
Each and every one of their sword strikes was heavy. Both disciples had learned the Heavenly Sword technique of Taeheogeomjong.
If not for the capabilities of his Profound Iron Dao Physique, he would have been defeated long ago by their fierce momentum.
Gwak Cheonu unleashed the Hyeonmu Geumsingyeol, the secret technique of Cheolbyeongmun, with all his strength.
It was an arrogant technique that dared to include the name of the divine beast Hyeonmu, but in reality, it was merely a body-refining technique that would be fortunate to even reach the Core Formation stage.
Even then, the attribute of the technique was Metal rather than Hyeonmu's Water, making one still question why it was given such a name in the first place.
Yet the Profound Iron Dao Physique extracted the ultimate potential even from a technique like this.
The meaning of 'Golden Body' embedded in its name awakened at this very moment.
Gwak Cheonu's brightly glowing body scattered aura like literal diamonds.
The two disciples narrowed their eyes and backed away.
"Fellow Daoist Gwak, it seems the rumors that you are the premier rising star just below the three major sects were true, despite being overshadowed by them."
So Yeonggyeong looked down at her sword in disbelief.
Although she had held back her intent to kill as much as possible, the sword edge of Taeheogeomjong's famed Heavenly Sword had chipped just trying to cut through his skin.
"Rumor has it that you were born with the Profound Iron Dao Physique, right? Though its rank might be low, a Dao Physique is still a Dao Physique. It seems to have great synergy with the techniques of Cheolbyeongmun."
"It feels like I'm cutting a defensive artifact rather than a magic tool."
So Yeonggyeong and Gu Soak pulled out new swords from their storage pouches.
The farce from a moment ago no longer remained between the three of them.
They were not spellcasters, but sword cultivators and a body cultivator.
Moving their bodies itself was a form of cultivation.
Facing a worthy opponent and exchanging blows, the gains accumulating in their bodies were extraordinary.
The corners of So Yeonggyeong and Gu Soak's lips curved upward.
At the attitude of the two female sword cultivators, Gwak Cheonu sighed.
He wondered if the rumors about Taeheogeomjong's sword cultivators being insane were actually true.
Even so, he felt it was manageable.
If he focused entirely on defense, even they would find it hard to break through.
Regrettably, Gwak Cheonu also had no way to catch the swift duo, but he wasn't fighting to win anyway.
'If it's Yeon Biha, she might defeat that monster.'
There was a rumor that she was the greatest genius of Taeheogeomjong, a heaven-born divine prodigy.
Her clothing was revealing, but her sword strikes were far beyond the Qi Condensation stage.
If Mu Jayeon was defeated, the promise ended right there.
As long as he made a good escape, Gwak Cheonu had nothing to lose.
— Do you want revenge?
A useless thought crossed his mind, but he shook his head to clear it.
Right now, he had to devote all his strength to keeping the two girls tied down.
Kwang! Kwang!
Loud background noise rang out.
Focused as he was on the two girls, he hadn't realized how violent the battle over there seemed to be.
Wondering if Yeon Biha might be losing, he glanced sideways in that direction.
And Gwak Cheonu—along with Gu Soak and So Yeonggyeong, who followed his gaze—
— witnessed a miracle.
There was no match for her in the Donggyeong Region.
Even if the opponent were at the Foundation Establishment stage, she would not fear them.
However, this sword alone was terrifying.
Even the full power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was shabbier than this.
"Your name?"
"Yeon Biha."
"I'm Mu Jayeon."
"Yeah, I know."
They had already exchanged names, but did so again.
Properly recognizing the opponent.
Even while talking, the offensive did not rest.
I swung my fists, and she thrust her sword.
The difference was that my attacks didn't land, while every single one of hers connected.
My body was already covered in wounds, but there were no fatal injuries.
"Tough."
"Of course I'm tough."
Supplying spiritual energy beyond my realm through Dantian Explosion, I cultivated my body-refining technique amidst the overflowing spiritual energy.
Even if I didn't know advanced courses, I properly completed the basics of body refinement. I prided myself on having defense stronger than Gwak Cheolwoo at the very least.
Her delicate eyes furrowed.
The fingers gripping her sword hilt tightened slightly.
"I'll go harder."
Hwoong! Her posture locked in. I couldn't follow that last move with my eyes.
A long thin line appeared below my Adam's apple. Whew, I almost really died there.
"Wasn't that your full power just now?"
"What about you?"
"I don't know."
Most things ended just by pushing through with my physical weight class, so I had never engaged in an in-depth fight.
I did a lot of sparring sessions, but because my opponent was Jeokryeon, I couldn't unleash my full strength, and the gap in skill was so massive that I felt indifferent even to losing.
Maybe I might be able to see my true strength in this battle?
"Insensitive."
Disliking my nonchalant answer, Yeon Biha muttered as if disappointed.
Her sword began to radiate an even deeper light.
"You'll really die if you stay like that."
A single thrust—since there were warning signs, evasion was possible.
Kwaang! A hole was blasted into the mountain behind me. There was no time to relax and watch.
Yeon Biha's sword stance grew fierce.
Fierce as a storm, yet smoothness coexisted within it.
I had also learned sword arts from Jeokryeon.
Though basic, that alone allowed me to see how exceptional she was.
As a sword cultivator, there was likely no one quite like her.
Truly a person born for the sword.
To call it mere talent was an understatement; it was so outstanding that one might suspect a special bloodline or the reincarnation of a mighty expert.
Had my thoughts wandered too deep? Her single sentence pulled me back to reality.
"Boring."
"Tsk, sorry."
Fun—it was important.
But it would be troublesome if I was the only one having fun.
Just as sharing joy makes it greater.
Fun grows when shared as well.
It seemed I didn't know what to do with this novel kind of excitement I was experiencing for the first time.
I should compose my focus a bit.
A stimulus was applied to my thoughts.
Hazy memories became vivid at this moment.
Countless cultivation methods cram-taught to me by Jeokhwa and Jeokryeon flashed past.
Among them were high-level techniques, but some had been abandoned halfway because the training pace was terribly slow.
And bringing those out right now wouldn't mean much anyway.
I was certain now. They were clothes that didn't fit me.
'If I don't have it, I'll make it.'
That was how Dantian Explosion was born, and how my divine ability came to be.
Even if it were a treasure coveted by others, if it was useless to me, it was nothing more than a scrap of paper.
'What techniques do I remember the formulas for?'
The Azure Wood Qi Absorption Technique, the Returning Meridian Qi-Nourishing Technique, the Profound Wood Body-Tempering Art, the Clear Heart Divine-Refining Art, Qi Condensation formulas, and various others came to mind.
Scrap them all. None of them except the basics are of any help.
'There's nothing I like more than this.'
I was even more attached to it because it was the formula that saved her.
What should I do with this?
Spells? Standing in front of Yeon Biha, there was no time to cast one.
Every time I tried to use one, three holes would get poked into my body.
Escape arts? Speed alone isn't enough. Finesse is lacking.
Spiritual sense? I am using spiritual sense, but it keeps getting chopped to bits by Yeon Biha's sword, so I'm not feeling it.
There's only one option.
A cultivation technique—specifically, a body-refining technique in which I currently hold an advantage over Yeon Biha.
'What formula should I use?'
For that, comprehension regarding body refinement was needed.
What is body refinement?
Is it simply the act of forging the body, just as Qi Condensation forges Qi?
If so, there would be no need to distinguish body refiners or body cultivators.
Body refinement is also one aspect of the Three Thousand Great Daos.
It is indisputably one of the paths leading to the Great Dao.
Cultivators who trained solely in body refinement to achieve the Great Dao definitely exist.
Perhaps monsters who went beyond the Middle Realm exist as well.
There's no way they don't. The cultivation world dislikes prejudice.
How did they achieve it? Who knows. How would I know? I'm just at the Qi Condensation stage.
However, I intuitively sensed that body refinement must have its own Dao.
'No matter the method, there must be a Dao.'
At the murmur uttered in passing, the top of my head grew hot.
How could a meager mortal body contain the Dao?
When the single word 'Dao' holds immeasurable meaning.
'I am not yet qualified to covet that beginning.'
But I can draw the starting point, can't I?
The Dao of body refinement as interpreted by me, and the Dao of cultivation.
'I have an answer.'
Explosive power is birth [Explosive Power Is Creation], but the apex is annihilation [The Ultimate Is Extinction].
'Not all of it, just the first part.'
Explosive power is birth [Explosive Power Is Creation].
'My body was born through Dantian Explosion and this divine ability.'
Inside the spiritual energy circuits, I controlled a massive amount of spiritual energy that could fill a small realm to complete the divine ability.
It is a Dao already engraved upon my soul. Other things have no right to wedge themselves in.
'Of course, it can't be just this.'
There are more Daos that cannot be explained by that alone.
I cannot know them right now.
'This is enough to feel excitement.'
Based on this formula, I construct a body-refining technique.
The physical body repeatedly explodes and is reborn [Flesh Explodes, Life Reborn].
The future me is not today's me [Tomorrow's Self Is Not Today's Self].
'Two sentences are more than enough.'
I name the technique that embraces them.
"Explosive Birth Body-Refining Art."
"......!"
Without realizing it, I blurt out the name out loud.
As it engraves itself upon the world, my physical body sheds its skin.
Kwaang!
An explosion burst from within—an impact comparable to Dantian Explosion surged forward, but there was none of the pain from that time.
Rather, it was closer to a celebratory firework announcing a birth.
"Haaaa..."
I am different from the me of a moment ago.
"Round two."
"... Good."
Yeon Biha smiled.
I smiled too.
Smiling, I grabbed her arm and slammed her down.
——!!!
A deafening roar like thunder erupted, and Yeon Biha emerged through the smoke.
I shook out my arm. Blood dripped down continuously. It looked as if a bomb had exploded inside my arm.
Ggudeudeok. Ggudeuk.
Explosion is birth, so it slowly restored itself.
Yeon Biha was watching the sight closely.
"You're not hurt, right?"
"Yeah, I can keep going."
That's more like it.