Heavenly Realm
The next day marked the beginning of yet another form of hell training.
‘This is hard…’
I let out a muffled groan while maintaining the Horse Stance on the high platform. Although the Horse Stance is physically annoying and challenging, having gone through countless physical and mental trainings, it felt as natural as breathing for me. Assuming it would support my stamina, I could maintain this stance for the duration of seven weeks without breaking a sweat.
The real struggle, however, wasn’t physical—it was mental. Dokgo Seong, who was watching me with stern eyes, spoke up.
“You’ve said you once shattered your limits with Extreme Physical Training to achieve Sword Mastery.”
“Yes.”
“While the training methods of that Bright Dragon are impressive, what you need right now isn’t merely physical training. You require a process to maintain an extreme state of calmness and clarify your will to gain self-control.”
Dokgo Seong’s words continued.
“Using your body is nothing difficult. Even with the most grueling physical training, thirty years would suffice to reach certain levels. What is required at your level is a disciplined mindset and control.”
“But…”
“But what?”
I protested weakly.
“Getting rid of a ‘habit’ is just too hard.”
Indeed. I was currently in the process of forgetting the habits I had accumulated while sticking to the Horse Stance. While it wasn’t physically demanding, the mental effort was draining. It felt like my mind might crumble under the constant strain.
Dokgo Seong said, “What do you think a habit is?”
“A bad habit I’ve grown accustomed to… maybe?”
“Listen carefully. In martial arts, a habit is the form one unconsciously chooses as optimal. Even a master wouldn’t know what kind of habits would form. Unless intentionally trained by a sect, habits emerge absolutely at random.”
Speaking passionately, Dokgo Seong continued, “Therefore, physical training right now would be poison. You’d end up reverting to those forms again. But since you can’t control the unconscious, you shouldn’t do physical training.”
“……”
“The Horse Stance is merely a minimal device to prevent you from becoming too lax. Focus solely on introspecting yourself.”
Introspecting myself?
What does that even mean?
“Refrain from martial training.”
I frowned at him.
“Don’t do physical training, and don’t even think about martial arts mentally. Transform your emptiness into your martial arts. That’s the training method that suits you.”
Prohibiting martial training seemed easy at first glance, but that wasn’t the case. It had only been a little over an hour since I struck the Horse Stance, yet thoughts of martial arts kept intruding. No matter how hard I tried to clear my mind, thoughts of sword techniques and martial arts principles kept popping up unconsciously.
I struggled like this for about three hours.
Without warning, Dokgo Seong unleashed a sword strike towards me.
Swish!
The sword narrowly grazed the side of my neck. If it had been just a bit closer, my neck would have been half severed. As I squinted in shock, Dokgo Seong shouted.
“You reacted just now!”
“Well, if you attack me, I can’t help but react unconsciously.”
“Kill that reaction and forget it! Suppress the very act of using martial arts to counter!”
“……!!”
“Stay tense. If you don’t listen to me, I’ll have to intensify the pressure myself.”
Intensifying the pressure?
As I instinctively grasped the implication, I felt a tickle in my throat. If I failed too many times in training, he might actually hurt or injure me for real!
‘This is dangerous!’
If I were training under an ordinary martial arts master, I wouldn’t worry. But the opponent before me was a former grandmaster of the Thunder God Lineage, and naturally, he possessed an extreme inheritance of its power. If he got serious, I risked dying or getting severely injured during training.
I gritted my teeth. Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth, and I felt my senses sharpen. I focused, starting to think about not thinking at all.
‘Absolute emptiness doesn’t exist. The only way is to reach maximum tension and then release it all at once.’
A master of meditation might reach a state of emptiness consciously, but even with my years of experience, it was hard to suppress the body’s instinct to that degree. Therefore, I had no choice but to resort to tricks to reach a state of emptiness.
Swish! Swish!
The wind sliced through as the sword swept past my skin. Each time it happened, I flinched slightly, while veins bulged on Dokgo Seong’s forehead. With a sinister voice, he pointed the sword at me and said,
“… Yeah. Just a finger or two…”
This is dangerous.
He’s serious now.
I quickly opened my eyes and said,
“Wait! This training method is too reckless.”
“Shut up. Are you going to criticize my training method?”
I screamed,
“If my innate understanding were high enough, I might succeed, but alas, I have little talent!”
“Hmm? What did you say?”
Dokgo Seong blinked, seemingly taken aback. He didn’t immediately get angry, which suggested he was a bit bewildered too. Clenching my teeth, I replied,
“I have heightened my martial arts level over a very short period with special techniques, but in reality, I’m below average. You can’t expect me to respond to the enlightenment of emptiness at all. This training method isn’t good!”
“Impossible.”
Dokgo Seong shook his head in disbelief.
“I’ve hardly seen anyone your age reach your current level. If you’re not a martial arts genius, then who is?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m not a genius!”
“You little… are you mocking me?”
Grrr!
Dokgo Seong’s eyes glowed a purplish tint, and suddenly, the sword ignited with Thunder Light. I knew that the Thunder Light wasn’t just invoking the Thunder Spirit Technique, but something beyond—what was called Sword Thunder.
‘The Sword Demon warned against facing Sword Thunder head-on!’
Although the Sword Demon didn’t elaborate, it was certain that for him, who transformed Zhang Sanfeng’s principles into his own, Sword Thunder would possess an overwhelming force. If I were to confront it, I’d either die or suffer severe injury.
I calmly replied,
“I’m definitely not mocking. I can explain, so please calm down a bit.”
“Alright. You better explain yourself properly.”
While Dokgo Seong didn’t extend his words, it was obvious that failing to do so would leave me either dead or turned into an idiot. Though his temperament seemed milder than Lee Kwang’s, he was still from the Thunder God Lineage. I swallowed hard, then I said,
“I have received the full support of the Sword Demon for nearly a decade. It’s quite an overstatement for my position. That person focused on teaching me even at the expense of their own training time, and this is why my level has continuously expanded.”
“That alone doesn’t explain it. You know many other martial arts too.”
“Those were also taught to me in detail by the Sword Demon, who interpreted and refined them. I’ve merely been a passive recipient so far.”
“……”
At that, Dokgo Seong opened his mouth. He didn’t seem convinced; rather, he spouted his words with an undertone of skepticism.
“That’s really the case? You were trained so fervently? If you’d obtained Zhang Sanfeng’s peerless martial arts, you should be spending all day in secluded training. Did you really invest that much time? This isn’t something a martial artist should experience.”
I looked straight at Dokgo Seong and argued,
“But that is the truth. Because they dedicated their time to help me, I’ve reached an undeserved level.”
“Hmm… So, I have reached that level with someone like the Sword Demon as my peer?”
I stayed silent as he stood there for a while, deep in thought. Then he said,
“Your words aren’t very credible. But if you truly disdain the training of enlightenment, let’s think of another way.”
“Thank you.”
“You must take responsibility for what you said today.”
Murmuring that, Dokgo Seong spoke,
“Let’s call it a day. We’ll plan again tomorrow.”
I finished the Horse Stance and went down to a clearing near the cliff. I intertwined some trees to crudely create a roof, providing a space to escape the dew. After starting a fire to warm the environment, I fell asleep beside the campfire.
When I arrived at the training location the next day, Dokgo Seong was already waiting for me. Sitting at the mountain’s peak, he stared intently at me and said,
“This won’t do. We can’t proceed with the training like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t delve into the many martial flows mixed within you unless I have constant advice from someone who has observed you closely. I need advice from the one who’s been with you all this time.”
Saying that, Dokgo Seong continued,
“I’ll need to meet the Sword Demon.”
That was unexpected.
For someone like Dokgo Seong, who had locked himself away for over half a century to perfect the Thunder God Lineage’s sword techniques, to come into the world? That itself signified a level of martial power adjustment. I looked at Dokgo Seong in shock and said,
“Are you sure you want to do this? You promised you wouldn’t leave until you’ve perfected the Thunder God Lineage’s sword techniques, and you also made an agreement with the Dharma Protector…”
“The sword techniques of the Thunder God Lineage are already perfected; truly transcending them can’t happen simply through training. Besides, the promise is merely that I won’t return to my main sect as long as I continue the revival movement of the Thunder God Lineage.”
“Hmm.”
“And I also want to talk martial arts with a master like the Sword Demon.”
I began to understand Dokgo Seong’s mindset. He had already solidified the sword techniques of the Thunder God Lineage to the point of feeling there was nothing left to learn. He now needed external assistance. Moreover, he appeared to want to teach me while also using that as his own training. I couldn’t help but admire his diligent passion.
‘Dokgo Seong has left his kin behind and devoted his life solely to martial arts within the Thunder God Lineage. And he lives entirely for martial arts, even sacrificing all earthly pleasures…’
I found my affection for Dokgo Seong rising in secret. I nodded and replied,
“Then please go with me. The Sword Demon will be very pleased.”
“Good!”
At that moment, the Sword Demon’s secret message flashed through my mind.
[Come in a month.]
The Sword Demon had intentionally sent me out to observe the movements of the Zhuge Clan while exposing openings intentionally. Therefore, rushing back quickly wouldn’t help at all. Since I hadn’t trained for long, I would have to spend at least ten to fifteen days killing time elsewhere.
‘Hmm… How should I spend my time?’
Fortuitously, Dokgo Seong was unaware that the Without Shadow Sect was in Goryeo. He only knew that we came from somewhere in the Central Plains.
‘Even in Sichuan, if Dokgo Seong puts his mind to it, he could reach Goryeo within ten days with his agility techniques. I’ll need to come up with a different way to discuss this.’
Shortly afterward, a good idea struck me, and I said to Dokgo Seong,
“Excuse me, but I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“I received a secret mission from the Sword Demon, requiring me to stop by Dongyeong. If it’s not too much trouble, could you help me with this task?”
“Hmm, Dongyeong?”
Dokgo Seong said, sounding a bit put off.
“Why would you go to the land inhabited by those barbarians? Be clear about your purpose.”
“It’s not that; I’ve obtained information about someone called the Green Moon, one of the Thunder God’s three avatars, residing in a forest in Dongyeong. I need to verify the truth of this information.”
Dokgo Seong looked surprised.
“The Green Moon! He’s in Dongyeong? Why?”
“I’ve heard he’s seeking a special martial art called the Full Moon Heaven-Destroying Technique.”
“What?!”
His expression turned seriously. He thought for a moment and then said,
“How do you know this?”
“Currently, the Without Shadow Sect has a connection with the Thirteen Rites and has been hearing news about Dongyeong.”
“If that’s certain… then I must go to Dongyeong. Do you know the exact location?”
“I’ve heard it’s the Aokigahara Flood.”
“Let’s go.”
Dokgo Seong clenched his fist.
“The Green Moon was the most diligent and sincere disciple of the Thunder God Lineage. If he’s gone to the land of the barbarians to seek a cursed martial art, we can’t leave it be.”
Due to discussions about balance issues, I’ve completely revised chapter 254. I’ve removed the part concerning the identity revelation and shifted to a different storyline.
Furthermore, I would appreciate it if discussions regarding the premium purchase value of the reincarnated sword master would not take place in the comments. Please protect the author’s mental state… Also, please be considerate of the stability of the writing.
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