Chapter: 293
The one among the three deities of the world.
A man called Paejon, who is said to be the zenith of the martial arts realm.
Though he hails from the prestigious Bi family.
Rather than adhering to the responsibilities and legitimacy of his bloodline,
He was a man who wished to live as a warrior.
Paejon Biju.
To describe his life,
It would dare say it could be characterized as madness.
A warrior consumed by the pursuit of martial arts mastery.
Born as a man, he set his sights on transcending the realm of martial artists.
Having fashioned a singular path to tread,
Paejon ran forward in a straight line without ever looking back.
He was different from others from the very start.
When he reached the age where he could curl his fist,
He was already capable of knocking down his blood relatives one after another.
His extraordinary aptitude from birth
Had led family heads and elders
To believe that he would surely bring about the revival of the Bi family.
However.
“I won’t do it. That sort of thing.”
One day, Biju vanished, leaving behind a letter.
When Biju reached the age of fifteen,
He embarked, proclaiming that he would bear the weight of the Sega and rise to prominence.
In other words,
It was a runaway.
The reason Biju chose to leave the esteemed Sega family.
It’s nothing but this.
He wanted to experience a broader world and gain enlightenment,
And use that enlightenment to forge his own martial arts.
The martial arts belonging to the Bi family,
Includes the bloodline’s specific art known as Biaituogong (備牙意鬪功),
But Biju thought, “It’s not fun.”
Biju didn’t have fondness for that martial art.
Although the Bi family’s martial art could even be dubbed divine art,
“I will carve my own path.”
Biju had aspirations to pave his own way.
Thus, the journey of young Biju to the Central Plains began.
It began with martial contests.
Biju sought masters to duel wherever his feet took him.
Some refused him.
There were countless moments when he nearly faced death during this venture.
For long hours, dancing on the line between life and death,
Biju fought fiercely in martial contests.
Years slid by as he racked up countless defeats and victories,
Before he realized it, he had ascended to the pinnacle of martial arts.
Was that at the tipping point?
-Useless.
He detested the Sega’s martial arts.
After leaving, even during his martial contests,
In the end, it was once again the Sega’s martial arts he utilized.
Biju, who had grasped a significant understanding, sought a different path.
He resolved to create a martial art he could be satisfied with.
Thus, the young genius, a child prodigy unlike any that could be found at that time,
Broke from the world’s expectations,
He retreated to a secluded mountain for ten years, where he was unknown.
Ten years.
It certainly stretched on for quite a time.
But to create a new martial art, it was far too brief a span.
Moreover,
He already possessed another mind technique within his body.
Even if he crafted a martial art, if that mind technique didn’t match, the blood flow would be hindered, rendering it useless.
That’s why.
Biju decided to first expunge the existing mind techniques from his body.
Though he had to purge everything he’d built up to peak level,
There was no hesitation present within Biju.
As long as his Dantian wasn’t scorched and blood vessels weren’t damaged.
It took a year to erase what he knew.
If he succeeded in erasing it,
That would merely be the beginning.
Pursuing more efficient movements.
Creating a martial art that could be integrated therein.
He stepped into uncertain territory,
Yet Biju remained unimpeded.
His dream movements had always existed,
And the framework for that was established
During the year spent purging the techniques of his family.
With nothing left but to move as he desired.
If others saw it,
They might wonder if it’s as easy as it sounds.
Ironically,
Biju possessed the talent to make it happen.
When creating his martial arts, he placed the framework, the image, and the destruction as his goal.
He believed that the original purpose of these martial arts was destruction.
Only to break and tear apart.
Efficient movements and the utilization of mind techniques for him.
Biju devoted day and night to carving that path.
Thus, ten years passed.
Knock knock—
Boom!
A massive boulder behind the mountain crumbled,
As Biju gazed at the earth being swept away.
-Now I can go down.
At that moment, he awakened to the fact that it was time to return to the Central Plains.
This was Biju’s age, around the time he turned twenty.
Having severed contact and hidden in the mountains for a decade,
By the time he descended into the Central Plains once more,
The world had transformed dramatically.
Simultaneously, Namgung’s Cheongryong had inherited the position of family head,
Reigning as one of the five greatest swordsmen across the realms.
And during the time a middle-aged warrior named Jilpunggeom began to glory,
Biju initiated his dueling once again.
At a time when he hadn’t even appropriately named his martial arts yet.
Biju continued to seek out masters for his fierce competitions.
He encountered three of the five greatest swordsmen in the realm.
He even faced Cheolhyeolbuseon, who was called the best of the time.
He ventured everywhere, inquiring about duels, regardless of sect or affiliation.
Though he crafted martial arts,
The defeats persisted.
This was due to the multitude of those who were stronger than him.
But his momentum never wavered.
If he fell, he simply needed to rise again.
Winning didn’t satisfy him.
Namgung’s blue dragon was sharp.
The wild man, Wind Sword Seon, was formidable.
The rising star of Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom Sword was swift.
The top disciple of Kunlun sought a heavy sword.
Biju couldn’t defeat anyone with his newly crafted martial arts,
Yet time marched on.
-Not bad.
Lying on the ground and spitting blood, Biju nodded in satisfaction.
He didn’t falter.
Because he had conviction.
The martial arts he devised would undoubtedly become a divine art that none could triumph over in the future.
So he wasn’t disheartened.
His limbs were intact.
His two eyes were bright.
He felt fortunate.
He had thought that, through sheer perseverance, one of them must vanish.
-It’s really not bad at all.
The journey continued without pause.
He discovered the areas he had faltered in through his losses.
Always pursue martial mastery.
For that is the essence of a warrior.
-Just a bit more.
The path remains visible.
The journey ahead is arduous.
For it is a road unpaved by anyone, making it all the more treacherous.
-How delightful.
To walk along a path of one’s own making carries that joy.
Biju wiped off the blood and rose to his feet.
Before him lay three warriors, blood-soaked and lifeless.
Who could they have been?
He recalled them as notable individuals from the opposing faction.
Biju hadn’t even caught their names.
As he scrutinized each individual he had slain,
A thought struck him.
-Your fists… break the heavens.
The one who uttered such a line must have had “Heaven” (天) in his nickname.
Was it the Four Thousand Demons?
That seems to align with the vibe.
-Smashing the heavens.
None of them were warriors remarkable enough to be called “Heaven.”
Considering that he couldn’t even recall their faces,
They must have been of little consequence.
When considering the “Heaven” thing,
The Wind Sword he fought against had reminiscent techniques much more similar.
At the very least, he was the one
Who truly carved through the heavens.
Biju smiled, reminiscent of that time.
For it was a duel well-remembered.
Even though he had nearly met his end.
-Heaven, not bad at all.
To shatter the heavens, eh?
A splendid refrain.
-In that context, let this martial art be named Pacheon (破天) from now on.
Two-Armed Shattering Heaven Technique.
This marked the moment Biju’s creation of martial arts earned a name,
Alongside the point at which he ascended to being an absolute master after single-handedly dispatching the three famed Sima Palje.
Biju spared no heed to such mundane chatter.
Rather than being the topic of others’ conversations,
Perfecting his own martial arts held value beyond measure.
Time flowed on.
Unbeknownst to Biju, the Wind Sword had secured the chief position of the Alliance,
While the fiercely acclaimed Cheolhyeolbuseon had succumbed to illness.
The innovative warrior from Mount Hua assumed the role of Sect Master,
As the foremost disciple of Kunlun occupied a similar post.
Yet Biju remained unchanged.
If he were to be labeled a warrior, it was more than adequate.
That was Biju’s sentiment.
It was later, much later, that he became aware of being called the “Three Deities.”
Let’s say it again.
For Biju, the completion of his martial arts was paramount.
That was the singular aim of his life.
Then one day.
-Oh.
As usual, in the midst of training, Biju attained a revelation.
-This is troubling.
He realized the disheartening truth that he may never be able to perfect his martial arts.
Despite his lofty realm, he maintained a youthfulness somewhat disproportionate to his age,
The dilemma lay within his frail body and blood circulation.
Due to his exceedingly formidable strength, his martial skills hadn’t diminished,
But the crux was that he couldn’t advance any further.
A mere step from completion remained.
-This is…
He laughed hollowly.
Countless martial contests,
The states he pushed himself into, in his pursuit of mastery,
Had somehow turned against him.
-Haha.
It was only right before his twilight that he registered the most substantial obstacle he faced.
His martial arts—
It was impossible to reach its zenith with an aging physique.
Even with a body imbued with youth and vigor,
He could not reach the pinnacle of the Two-Armed Shattering Heaven Technique.
With his body aged beyond its prime,
Even consuming elixirs would be of little aid.
Heaven had been soaked in rain,
On a wintry day, snowflakes fell.
As always, Biju did not hesitate for long.
If the problems lay in the meager time and frail body,
Then he could just reverse them.
Banrohwandong.
Biju set his sights on performing a reversal.
Though he was already conscious of the side effects involved,
Should the blood vessels weaken and vessels constrict,
He believed he could simply fortify them.
At the very least, if it were just a diminutive weakness, this surely isn’t an impossibility.
With a body now compromised,
Coupled with the enlightenment he had achieved, in addition to the gradual accumulation of energy,
He would surely perceive the acme of martial mastery.
For Biju—boasting the fame and might associated with the title of Venerable Pae—held the fulfillment of his self-created martial art in far higher regard.
Biju returned to the Bi family and prepared for the reversal.
Although he had departed from Sega to travel his own path,
He remained cognizant of his gratitude, sending all his earnings back to Sega.
For the reputation of the Venerable Pae was of immense assistance to the Sega.
No way would the clan head resent the return of their lost son.
Upon returning to Sega,
He encountered his clan head—once his father, then his brother.
The lineage had transitioned from brother to son.
Biju could feel how much time had flown.
When he informed the clan head of his intent to perform a reversal,
The clan head expressed concern,
Yet Biju’s resolve was unwavering.
That night,
Biju discarded all he had achieved.
He turned back the hands of time on his body.
-…Ian Babble…
Feeling the dismal state of the world and blood circulation, he cursed aloud.
For it was far worse than he had conceived.
It was at a level where learning martial arts had become entirely impossible.
After the reversal,
A little over ten years had elapsed.
Biju abandoned his name,
Living as Bi Eejin, a bloodline descendant of the Bi family.
From a body that was nearly impossible to learn martial arts,
He managed to elevate it to a somewhat ordinary level.
This limitation stemmed from the past where Biju was
A warrior once deemed among “Three Deities.”
This level was achievable solely because of the hidden elixirs stashed within the grounds of the fallen.
‘What am I to do?’
Bathed in gentle sunlight while lying on the ground, Bi Eejin pondered incessantly.
How may he reach the heights of martial arts mastery?
Two-Armed Shattering Heaven Technique.
A martial art he had forged himself yet found too formidable.
Only through the experience of undergoing reversal did he grasp this.
How to engage the joints.
How does one channel muscle strength?
At that time, in which direction and manner should the essence flow?
A divine skill that could only unfold when every aspect was synchronized as one.
Crafted with destruction at its core,
If even a single element faltered, it failed to manifest effectively.
Above all, the body was of utmost significance.
‘I was foolish.’
The body of Bi Eejin had deteriorated due to the reversal,
Rendering him incapable of wielding Tuapacheonmu accurately.
The body could not keep up alongside the mind.
‘…Was I perhaps too greedy?’
Just how much luck must be invested in his current body
To draw closer to his former status as Biju?
No.
‘It must transcend that.’
This realization dawned even upon the now-degenerated body.
His martial arts needed to be as perfect as could be.
What level would suffice?
Before reaching manhood,
He’d need a body capable of ascending to the peak early on, provided only the essence aligned.
‘…Sigh.’
With the weight of those thoughts, Bi Eejin couldn’t restrain his heavy sighs.
Unbeknownst to him, such a physique was nearly impossible to find even if one scoured the entire Central Plains.
‘What am I to do?’
With his existing body, he could not attain mastery even if he were to perish.
He’d underestimated the repercussions of the reversal.
Had he known it would be this dire, he would have gathered every elixir known to man, right from the outset.
‘Will I truly not achieve mastery like this?’
When he first commenced the reversal,
He harbored the thought that he could build it all up again.
For Bi Eejin’s original life had been of a non-being.
He had assumed that somehow he could manage once more.
However, the situation proved to be far more bleak.
Achieving a level once attained was an uphill struggle.
‘I must discover a method.’
It couldn’t end in failure like this.
As ever, finding a solution was imperative.
Resorting to brute force was no longer viable.
He needed to explore other options… something a little different.
“Brother!”
‘Oh no.’
Lost in thought for far too long,
Bi Eejin had momentarily forgotten he was in hiding.
Instinctively attempting to conceal himself seemed futile now.
As fate would have it, someone approached Bi Eejin.
“Again! Why are you huddling here!?”
“…Tsk.”
It was Vivi, a blood relative of the Sega.
Other than the clan head, she was known as Bi Eejin’s younger sister.
To him, she was merely a younger relative, akin to a granddaughter.
Moreover, she also represented the reason
Biju, pushed to madness over martial arts practice,
Did not sever ties with life after realizing he hadn’t attained greatness.
“Seriously… why do you keep hiding away?”
“Given how bothersome you are, I have no choice but to hide.”
“What am I doing that’s so bothersome…!”
“So… what’s going on then?”
Bi Eejin let out a deep sigh before addressing Vivi.
Surely, her proposal was again to share a meal together,
Or perhaps pleading for mutual training sessions—typical nuisances.
That was the take he had expected.
Instead, Vivi introduced an entirely different topic.
“Brother, have you heard about the Yongbong Contest?”
“…No?”
The Yongbong Contest,
It was a name that instantly irked him.
Bi Eejin’s current alias is Tturong.
At least until he restored a fraction of his strength, he wished to avoid unwanted attention.
-Please! If you join me this time, I won’t bother you for half a year!
Vivi had clung and nagged incessantly for several days, leaving him with no choice but to go.
He had initially intended to act nonchalantly at the event.
‘The problem nowadays is they are all too weak.’
The caliber of contenders had seen a decline.
It seemed they were billed as the greatest talents in history, the “Meteor Generation,” and all that fluff,
Yet they paled in comparison to his own time as a later index.
Certainly, there were a few genuine gems amongst them.
But they were not yet ripe.
“What does that even mean?”
Bi Eejin queried, somewhat annoyed.
He wouldn’t be surprised if Vivi planned to cling to him again for not attending this contest.
“They say a dragon appeared during the non-combat event.”
Fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“A dragon?”
Are they referring to something like O-ryong-sambong, the Nine Dragons Ceremony?
Playing around with nicknames hasn’t changed since then.
“Yes… it’s said to be a True Dragon.”
True Dragon.
Among endless dragons, this signifies an authentic dragon.
Such a grandiose term, indeed.
“What’s the issue with that?”
Dragons could continuously emerge.
It’s a name bestowed from the blind, so it’s likely to be whatever one wishes it to be.
For Bi Eejin, he had no lingering hopes for the now-absent clan’s expectations.
Vivi, exasperated with Bi Eejin’s aloofness, countered:
“It’s because rumors are swirling that Jinryong is his disciple…!”
“Him? Who’s that?”
“Our great-uncle….”
“…?”
Bi Eejin furrowed his brow at Vivi’s words.
If the one who survived is the elderly head of the Bi family now,
Could it possibly be?
‘Me?’
Only the fallen Biju himself fits that description.
“That’s nothing but nonsense.”
Bi Eejin firmly replied to Vivi.
He didn’t take any disciples in the least.
At that time, he considered it crucial to perfect his own martial arts instead…
‘Wait a moment.’
“Listen! I heard that Jinryong, this latecomer, arrived with a recommendation from our great-uncle…”
‘A disciple?’
Vivi babbled on, but her words hardly registered in Bi Eejin’s ears.
Disciple.
‘Yes, a disciple.’
Biju’s life aim had been to
Perfect martial arts.
If he couldn’t achieve mastery in his current state,
‘Wouldn’t it be alright if someone else did it in his stead?’
Seeking someone with the talent and physique to witness the completion of the Two-Armed Shattering Heaven Technique through his eyes could do the trick.
“Moreover, apparently he hasn’t even reached adulthood… but he might’ve already touched the peak. How could that be?”
“The peak? Who mentioned that?”
“That person, Jinryong.”
At Vivi’s disclosure, Bi Eejin’s eyes widened.
“Do you already know that kid’s name?”
“To whom? Jinryong?”
“Yes.”
“He… uh, something like that… I can’t say for certain. But I heard he’s the younger brother of Geombong.”
“…Geombong’s younger brother.”
The Sword.
Among the Geombong clan, a name even Bi Eejin recognized.
A realm where monsters lurk, concealing fangs.
This was the home turf of a few of his closest confidants.
‘If ordered to stay there.’
This was someone he had heard of a few times.
He had a fleeting memory of the incidents of the impetuous young lad, often inquiring about when Biju could visit.
“…The peak. Not even adulthood yet.”
“Brother?”
“I see… so that’s what it is.”
“Brother? Hey? Where are you off to… Hey!”
Vivi called out loudly from the back.
Ignoring her pleas, Bi Eejin moved, for in his mind,
The existence of Gu Yangcheon crystallized into focus.
And so he found himself at this juncture.
The Gu Yangcheon he met in person exceeded his expectations by far.
‘What an incredible level.’
When he heard that the Earth Raccoon had come here at Gu Yangcheon’s request,
Was it a matter of intention aligning?
How he had laughed so thoroughly upon hearing that.
He considered it a fortunate twist of fate.
“How’s it going?”
A body that had surpassed its peak at such a young age, coupled with talent
Alongside the physique remarkably close to the perfection he had yearned for.
It was said to be a martial art.
The joints and related aspects likely aligned with his envisioned training methods.
This was, literally speaking,
‘Someone born to learn the Two-Armed Shattering Heaven Technique.’
Everything fit perfectly into the puzzle.
Every condition required for perfecting one’s martial arts had aligned brilliantly.
Not surprisingly, he had even momentarily misjudged Yangcheon’s form as one who had experienced similar suffering to him, if only briefly.
He was in such exceptional condition.
Even still,
Until the immediate moment, he held lingering doubts.
Yet the moment his grip tightened around Gu Yangcheon’s neck,
Bi Eejin understood.
No matter what tricks might be applied,
A body that had experienced a reversal could never possess such clean and robust blood vessels and formations.
Reflecting on that realization, Bi Eejin said,
“By the way, my master is currently looking for students.”
To be candid,
He found selling himself to be rather humiliating.
But seeing as Gu Yangcheon was unlikely to be acquainted with this context, it was deemed acceptable.
While he swore he had never once exploited the title of Venerable Pae or his standing,
He knew firsthand just how tremendous the significance of that title was.
This time, however, he would have to utilize it.
If it were indeed the teachings of the Three Deities,
He would never turn it down.
Bi Eejin cast his gaze upon Gu Yangcheon, dreaming.
‘If I could couple that body’s talent with my guidance…’
He envisioned witnessing the peaks of the Two-Armed Shattering Heaven Technique.
‘Alright, hurry…’
If only Gu Yangcheon uttered words of approval.
That would mark the beginning of a new narrative.
As a new successor to the Two-Armed Shattering Heaven Technique, he’d be able to soar even higher.
“I’m not interested.”
“Alright, I’ll say it now… What?”
Upon hearing Gu Yangcheon’s response,
Bi Eejin’s expression fell into stunned silence.
“What did you just say?”
“No, I meant to say, I’m not in.”
“You certainly seem to be misunderstanding that, but as I mentioned previously, my teacher…”
“Yes, I understand, yet I’m not doing it.”
In response to Gu Yangcheon,
Bi Eejin found himself overwhelmed with dismay, aside from the moment right after the reversal.
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