Sasa-sasak.
Two hands expertly performing tricks in gambling.
The Black Cat observed the changes in those hands, tracking the movements of the dice with her eyes.
Several months of catering to Wi Seoryeon’s strong personality.
The Black Cat had become somewhat accustomed to the gambling techniques that Wi Seoryeon displayed.
“It’s in the center.”
“Hmmm. Did it show too much?”
“Isn’t it better to give up on that martial arts gambling trick? The flow of Black Dragon Qi is so wild and threatening that it’s hard to keep up.”
“That might be true for the moment.”
Wi Seoryeon rearranged the cups again as she spoke.
“However, thinking about the future, shouldn’t we learn how to handle this rough fellow?”
Just how serious is she about gambling?
Seeing Wi Seoryeon planning her gambling technique growth with a long-term perspective, the Black Cat shook her head.
With her eyes momentarily off the board, the Black Cat turned her head to look at Ho Cheon-an.
It had already been a week since he started absorbing the Brain Crystal, yet there was still no sign of him waking up.
“Are you worried?”
“Senior will pull through.”
Despite the confident answer, a hint of worry was evident on the Black Cat’s face.
“However, while Senior digests the Brain Crystal, Jeong Cheol will be plotting, and that’s concerning.”
“Hmm.”
Wi Seoryeon nodded.
How strong would Ho Cheon-an become after absorbing the Brain Crystal?
That was something nobody knew.
Regardless of how strong Ho Cheon-an became, he would still have to face the opponent Jeong Cheol.
Given that Jeong Cheol was continuously being afforded time, it was understandable for the Black Cat to feel nervous.
To comfort the Black Cat while satisfying her own desires, Wi Seoryeon muttered.
“If you lean against the Demon Sect’s hill, there wouldn’t be much to worry about…”
The Black Cat gazed hard at Wi Seoryeon. Wi Seoryeon awkwardly avoided the gaze and tapped on the cup.
Surprisingly, the Black Cat silently accepted without uttering a word of refusal.
This was because she didn’t want to dismiss Wi Seoryeon’s sincere words.
“Ahem.”
At that moment, understanding the meaning of Black Cat’s silence, Wi Seoryeon cleared her throat with a sheepish expression.
Suddenly, a change began in Ho Cheon-an.
Fizz-zzzzzzz-zzzzzz!
In an instant, Ho Cheon-an’s body was enveloped by a massive amount of electrical energy. Awkwardly fiddling with the cup, both Wi Seoryeon and the Black Cat were startled into standing up.
The Brain Qi that had built up around Ho Cheon-an over the week was being absorbed into his body in one go.
The two watched, their hands clammy, the scene unfold.
While they couldn’t exactly know what it meant for the external energy to be absorbed into Ho Cheon-an’s body, it was certain that this process was the result of a week’s accumulation.
Crackle! Crackle! Fizz!
Electrical currents were continuously released from Ho Cheon-an’s body, intertwining as if wrapping around him. The two watched as Ho Cheon-an’s expression contorted painfully.
A pivotal moment.
Ho Cheon-an’s body and mind were overloaded with the massive amount of energy being absorbed. The Brain Qi was vibrating as if it would explode at any moment, causing Ho Cheon-an’s expression to twist more and more.
As Ho Cheon-an’s frown deepened, the wild energy of lightning surged within him.
Wooooooom!!
At the moment, the energy inflated as if it would explode, forming a singular ring.
Brain Wheel!
“Ah.”
“Oho.”
Wi Seoryeon and the Black Cat exclaimed in admiration as they witnessed a single ring wrapped around Ho Cheon-an’s body. Though Ho Cheon-an’s Brain Wheel was thin and delicate rather than rough and grand, neither Wi Seoryeon nor the Black Cat were disappointed by its appearance.
Wooooooom!!
Every time that Brain Wheel shuddered, the released energy was enough to envelop the entire vicinity.
This training hall, without a doubt.
The magnificent energy seemed it could reverberate throughout the world.
For a while, the Brain Wheel exuded its might, gradually shrinking before being completely absorbed by Ho Cheon-an’s body.
It was only then that the Black Cat realized Ho Cheon-an’s body was floating slightly in the air, causing her to clench her fist.
Levitation!
A phenomenon that could never be seen by someone who didn’t understand the principle of qi!
Clear evidence that Ho Cheon-an had reached the Hwa-gyeong stage!
Pop!
As Ho Cheon-an’s body, which had been slightly raised, touched the ground again, his eyes opened. The uncontained clarity in his gaze swept over the two.
Receiving that gaze, Wi Seoryeon broke into a fierce smile.
The intense momentum stirred by a martial artist’s ego.
Receiving that energy enveloped her completely, making her smile uncontrollably.
“Did you realize?”
“Yes.”
Though he hadn’t completely emerged from the essence of the martial teachings that the Brain Crystal had awakened in him, Ho Cheon-an spoke calmly with a strangely sincere gaze.
“It’s merely a fragment, but I’ve definitely captured it.”
Swoosh!
The dice thrown by Wi Seoryeon soared through the air in a graceful arc towards Ho Cheon-an. Naturally, his hand reached out to the dice, still maintaining that hazy look in his eyes.
And at that moment.
The dice began to feel unnaturally slow before ultimately coming to a stop.
Brrrrr!!
After a brief tremor in mid-air, the dice suddenly shot downwards like a bullet.
Crack!
Ho Cheon-an gazed wistfully at the remnants shattered against the floor’s blue stone.
“It seems it’s still too much to handle my qi correctly.”
“Lacking.”
Ho Cheon-an turned toward Wi Seoryeon’s comment.
“How can I gauge how much you’ve grown based solely on that display?”
There stood the Heavenly Demon, cloaked in ferocious Black Dragon Qi.
Wi Seoryeon, ready to unleash her martial prowess upon Ho Cheon-an, tightly clenched her fists.
“The abilities of a martial artist are revealed when they perform martial arts.”
Wi Seoryeon spoke with a fierce smile.
“Show me everything you’ve got, Ho Cheon-an.”
* *
They say one sees as much as they know.
Having harmonized with the principles residing in the Brain Crystal, Wi Seoryeon appeared different from when she was at the Peak Stage.
Groooowl.
The Black Dragon Qi that had previously seemed vague roared, brushing against her skin.
Having been accustomed to the Black Dragon Qi through gaming knowledge, she only felt its ferocity and danger during her Peak Stage, but now it felt like a living, breathing entity.
In fact, strictly speaking, since the Black Dragon Qi was derived from a living Black Dragon, it would be natural for it to feel this way now.
Lost in such thoughts, Wi Seoryeon came to her senses as she assumed a stance.
Forget definitions and origins of the Black Dragon Qi.
What mattered now was the duel with Wi Seoryeon.
I met Wi Seoryeon’s excited eyes as she prepared to rush in as if she would leap at me anytime—accepting the great sword offered by the Black Cat, I drew it out.
Once I gripped the stance, I cautiously began to draw on my inner energy.
Weekly duels with Wi Seoryeon.
In those duels, Wi Seoryeon always took the initiative.
It was only natural, considering I needed time to gather my Ilroe, while she had the advantage in stopping me from doing so.
Pyaaaaat!
I smirked inwardly as I observed Wi Seoryeon rushing toward me.
It was just after breaking free from meditation—would it hurt to let me gradually wake up my body and adjust to this state?
It had been quite a while since I received the Brain Crystal from Wi Ji-cheon; it had taken time to raise my realm, feeling stiff and sluggish.
Yet.
Swaaaak!!
Even in that sluggish state, I managed to avoid Wi Seoryeon’s initial attack more smoothly than ever.
“Ho-oh.”
As Wi Seoryeon let out an exclamation, the Black Dragon Qi roared ferociously as never before. I realized this was not an illusion; it was because my realm had increased that I could feel the Black Dragon Qi more vividly.
The Black Dragon Qi indeed had such a nature.
Wi Seoryeon continued to unleash her attacks, armed with the momentum that wanted to shred me to pieces, fueling her every blow with ferocity.
Watching the densely packed strong energy, I felt Wi Seoryeon was genuinely putting her all into the fight.
The qi formed by the Black Dragon, coupled with her fierce punches, began to constrict around me.
I felt the space to escape narrowing, forcing me to awaken my internal energy.
Krrrrroooom.
The basic process of summoning lightning was the same as before. I filled my internal energy within.
Boooom!
I exploded to create Ilroe.
If it had been before I raised my realm, I would have desperately pulled the escaping Ilroe inside my body.
But now, I expertly bent the energy of Ilroe and manifested it into a Brain Wheel.
Wooooo!
Unlike before, when everything was obliterated in a single explosion, the Brain Wheel continuously circulated throughout my body, maintaining a flowing rhythm.
To be honest, even now, I didn’t fully understand how this Brain Wheel was possible.
I was creating the Wheel even while questioning its validity, and yet it was true.
The lightning that still resided in my heart was overwhelming power that struck down and vanished in an instant.
Feeling the distinct presence of the Brain Wheel within me, I contemplated.
Could I have made this Brain Wheel without absorbing the Brain Qi left by the Unknown Elder?
I couldn’t be sure, but it might have been possible.
However, it would likely not have been achievable for quite some time.
The fact that I don’t fully understand the Brain Wheel now is evidence that I am worlds apart from the person I was when I first created it.
Just as things I couldn’t grasp during my youth could only be understood from the perspective of adulthood, grasping the concept of the Brain Wheel would require the passage of considerable time.
If I had not absorbed the Brain Qi, would I have reached the Hwa-gyeong in that long time?
Or would I have sought a different answer?
That too remains a mystery.
As if awakening those thoughts, Wi Seoryeon’s ferocious Black Dragon Qi pierced through me.
At the same moment, Wi Seoryeon struck.
The momentum fueled by the roaring Black Dragon clashed with that of the Brain Wheel, that moment of clash was on a whole different level.
This was no ordinary strike.
Wi Seoryeon unleashed the power of Heavenly Demon Arts.
Amidst the delighted laughter of Wi Seoryeon, my gaze locked onto hers.
Don’t hold back on what you’ve gained!
Wi Seoryeon seemed to say with her eyes.
And I replied with my own gaze.
Now, let me show you what I’ve gained.
To counter the overwhelming strength of her impending strike, I began to move the energy of my Brain Wheel as well.
Crackle!
Energy surged from my great sword. Although it still sparked with lightning, the energy created from Ilroe differed fundamentally from the principles of this new one.
Until now, the way I harnessed my energy had been to release it.
But the energy I had just created was based on a cycle.
Although the energy of Ilroe overflowed through my sword like a tempest, creating immense power,
Could that energy, rushing out in a hurry, possess structural firmness?
The evidence lay in the fact that my 참암검 had shattered during my first duel with Wi Seoryeon.
The reason it broke was due to my failure to fully coat it with strong energy to withstand the destructive capabilities of her strike.
As the energy from the Brain Wheel coursed through the sword and into my body, it flowed as if the sword was an extension of me.
“Use the sword as your body.”
At this moment, I finally managed to practice that saying.
The energy from the Brain Wheel, circulating through my body naturally like a single path, extended from my hand and filled every part of the sword, eventually returning through the meridians of my hand.
While not as overwhelming or destructive as the energy formed from Ilroe, it was the most solid energy I had ever formed in my great sword.
Then, I swung it.
The Single Cut Blade Technique’s first lightning fell, colliding with the formidable punch of Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaang!!!
The result was an explosion.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The blue stones scattered from the training hall flew in all directions, and amid the ruins of those shattered stones, Wi Seoryeon was knocked back.
Yet, neither of us retreated.
The impact of the Black Dragon Qi and the Brain Wheel that exploded at point-blank range resonated painfully throughout my body, but we both knew our duel was far from over.
As soon as my feet touched the ground, I unleashed the Seven Thunder Defense Technique.
The moment I kicked off the ground, Wi Seoryeon moved as well. I quickly adjusted to her movement, changing my footwork.
With a step in the form of the First Lightning Strike, it morphed into the Dual Gathering Form. That soon shifted to the Triangulated Echo.
I kept extending my legs.
Sikguk Shinrye.
Five Shadow Pursuit.
Even after executing four changes since the First Lightning Strike, Wi Seoryeon persistently chased after me.
Having witnessed countless iterations of the Seven Thunder Defense Technique during our bi-weekly duels, Wi Seoryeon had experienced them all.
Thus, I extended my legs one more time.
To escape into a realm she had never experienced before.
Six Blossoms Unfolding.
Finally, Wi Seoryeon’s gaze shifted away from me.
But I wasn’t satisfied with the first success of Six Blossoms Unfolding and extended my foot again.
Seven Transformations of Thunder!
For the first time, I tracked behind Wi Seoryeon.
After six arduous months of painful training at the Heavenly Demon Library, the fruits of my labor were finally visible in my legs.
No matter how much my realm had risen, if I had neglected my training, I wouldn’t have positively displayed the complete Seven Thunder Defense Technique.
Without a shred of hesitation, I unleashed the Lightning Strike.
In that instant, a singular thought occupied my mind.
I can win.
Against Wi Seoryeon, whom I had never defeated in the last six months, I believe I can win.
Our gazes crossed as Wi Seoryeon turned around.
Despite the ferocious momentum of Black Dragon Qi and Wi Seoryeon’s equally fierce presence, it was too late for her to evade my strike.
Just then, Wi Seoryeon’s foot moved, and a transformation began.
Swish!
How can I possibly describe the scene unfolding before my eyes?
As I had reached the Hwa-gyeong stage, I couldn’t be seeing things; in an instant, Wi Seoryeon split into two.
The two Wi Seoryeons moved as one, absorbing the Lightning Strike I unleashed.
Kuuuuuuuud!
The blue stones in the training hall trembled as the impact spread outwards in ripples.
“You’re quite impressive.”
Amidst the constant clash of our energies, Wi Seoryeon spoke.
I wanted to return her compliment casually, but sadly, there was no time for leisure.
Unlike Wi Seoryeon, who could focus solely on the clash of energies, I had to contend with the Black Dragon Qi that was gnawing at me.
Wi Seoryeon stared at me with eyes as fierce as the Black Dragon Qi, and then she stepped back.
It wasn’t a retreat to continue the duel.
No, Wi Seoryeon truly withdrew, pulling back the raging Black Dragon Qi.
Why the sudden change?
I stared dumbfounded as Wi Seoryeon spoke with an almost nostalgic tone.
“You’ve really developed significantly.”
“…You flatter me.”
“Thus, to determine the real victor between us, we’ll have to engage in a life-or-death duel. If it were up to me, I would love to immediately engage in such a battle, but… knowing there stands an opponent before you makes it regrettable that I can’t bring myself to do so.”
“Ah…”
It was then that I recalled the person I had temporarily forgotten.
Jeong Cheol.
“Let’s postpone the real duel until everything is sorted out.”
“…Thank you for your consideration.”
“Hmph.”
Wi Seoryeon looked a bit disappointed as if she had lost her favorite toy, her expression reminiscent of a child deprived of fun, before she suddenly spoke.
“Congratulations on your achievement.”
“Haha, thank you.”
“Congratulations, Senior!”
“Wow, thank you.”
Listening to the grateful words from both, I finally began to comprehend that I had reached the Hwa-gyeong.
Had I truly risen to the level equivalent to Jeong Cheol? The timing was unexpected, the developments were different, the circumstances were unlike anything anticipated, yet so what?
Even if I couldn’t claim to stand equal with Jeong Cheol, I had crawled my way up to a point where I could contend.
As I thought of Jeong Cheol, I looked up at the sky.
The time to put an end to this annoying connection was finally drawing near.
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