Chapter 70: Eve (3)

Chapter 70: Eve (3)/translatingnovice

A form of consciousness perfectly suited for humans.

"Is it merely a warning about the demon beast method I'm practicing? Or is it some kind of conundrum you've discovered, Kim Hyung?"

It was unlikely he brought this up without reason.

Kim Young-hoon gaze at me intently, then seem to ponder for a moment.

"...It's both."

"If it's both, have you already found the foundation for the next realm, Kim Hyung?"

"Ha, what do you think is the reason I came to you and poured out my emotions? If I had found the clue to the next realm through that, I would have told you long ago."

He adjusts his posture with a self-mocking smile.

'Anyway, it seems he has found something.'

Kim Young-hoon moves in front of a massive rock and takes a ready stance, then slowly reaches out his hand.

A hand without any internal energy.

No matter how slow, to strike a rock with such a hand looks like an action not caring about shattering the hand!

But then, at that moment.

Flash!

"....!"

My eyes widen as I closely observe Kim Young-hoon's fist.

No, his 'consciousness.'

His consciousness fluctuates, and suddenly, the area around Kim Young-hoon's fist compresses into the same shape as his 'fist.'

Its almost like...

'Demon beast methods...!?'

There is a resemblance to the demon beast methods that altered the domain of consciousness.

Kim Young-hoon's fist finally makes contact with the rock.

Crack!

"....!!"

Like burrowing into tofu.

Kim Young-hoon's fist digs into the rock, burying up to his forearm.

'He didn't use internal energy!?'

I rub my eyes and look again, but there is no internal energy in Kim Young-hoon's arm.

"Look."

Craaack

Sizzzz

Kim Young-hoon pulls his arm out of the rock and shows it to me.

Observing his arm, I understand how he burrowed into the rock without using internal energy.

'It's not internal energy, but the basic Qi naturally flowing within the body activated to the extreme! When the consciousness domain momentarily aligns with the fist, the basic energy of the fist is maximally activated...!'

Swoosh..

After showing me his arm for a while, he relaxes his focus and returns the consciousness, previously compressed into a fist shape, back to its original form.

"I can't maintain it for long as it's a recent discovery. Unlike your Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation, it's not about naturally altering the consciousness to fit the configuration. I just forcibly compressed the area of consciousness."

I listen to him and ask.

"So, a form of consciousness suitable for humans means, like you just demonstrated, changing the consciousness domain into a human form?"

That is my conjecture based on what I had just seen.

However, Kim Young-hoon's expression becomes strange.

"It's... ambiguous. Perhaps subtle..."

"Yes?"

"I contemplated over hundreds, thousands of false paths laid before me. Among them, I found the method of compressing consciousness into a human form and strengthening the physical energy... I intuitively knew that it was one of the 'real paths.'"

"Then, what's the problem?"

"I'm not sure if the path I found truly belongs to martial arts."

"...?"

What does he mean by that?

"Something about it subtly overlaps with the realm of martial arts. But, intuitively, I feel that following that path might eventually lead to a realm utterly unrelated to martial arts.

Of course, I also learned it with the intention of informing you, as it's clear that the stage you've reached with your demon beast method is certainly misguided."

"Hmm..."

"By the way, is there no way to acquire other demon beast methods besides that Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation?"

"Yes, it would be difficult to find others."

Kim Young-hoon sighs in frustration.

"It would be nice to have more reference material..."

"You just said that changing the consciousness domain doesn't belong to the realm of martial arts, didn't you?"

"That's true, but I've only researched the one Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation you gave me. Without anything to compare and contrast, it's hard to reduce trial and error. If I could obtain other demon beast methods for research, I'd have much more data."

"Hmm... I'll try to find them, but I can't make any promises."

"That's enough for me."

Kim Young-hoon nods and then we exchange a discussion about consciousness domains. After a while, we achieve satisfactory results.

I gained a clue about the fifth Gang Sphere, and Kim Young-hoon attained enlightenment about the differences and similarities between cultivation methods, demon beast methods, and martial arts.

We sat and discussed for several hours before parting ways.

I wanted to spar with Kim Young-hoon after not seeing him for so long, but it felt like he was avoiding it due to some concerns he had.

Since that day, Kim Young-hoon started visiting me more frequently, especially to hear my insights into cultivation methods and demon beast methods.

He is unparalleled in martial arts, but when it comes to cultivation methods, due to his perhaps lesser talent, there was no change in his cultivation.

His focus was more on applying the insights from cultivation methods to martial arts to break through to the next realm.

Based on the insights of 'Understanding before Breakthrough,' I taught him cultivation.

Kim Young-hoon explained his understanding of the Gang Sphere in a way that I could easily understand.

Years passed like this.

Swoosh.

The valley around me.

The water from the valley flows towards me, swirling around me as the center.

Then, suddenly.

Whoosh!

Like an explosion of water, it sprays apart and then gathers around me again, forming a large water droplet.

Within that water spell, I slowly open my eyes.

I am underwater, but the water energy connects with me, allowing me to breathe freely.

Bubbling.

After staying in the water for a while, I form a hand seal and disperse the water droplet.

The Water Surpassing Path to Cultivation has now reached the 9th Star of the Qi Refining stage, the phase of the Five Elements.

From the 9th Star of Qi Refining, one can fully manifest the elements of the learned spell and use the corresponding attributes.

Moreover,

Swoosh.

"The speed of spiritual energy recovery has increased significantly."

'I wonder how much the recovery speed of spiritual energy will increase if I fully understand both the Earth and Water Surpassing Paths to Cultivation.'

It definitely won't be a small increase.

'How much help will it be to master two methods of different attributes...'

So far, aside from being able to attempt Qi Building more frequently due to the faster recovery of spiritual energy, there are no other noticeable benefits.

'Once I fully understand the methods, I'll see. After all, in the Water Surpassing Path, only the stages of Four Images, Three Talents, Yin-Yang Unity, Unified Origin, and Infinite Spiritual Cloud are left. But since I've already cleared the spiritual meridians with the Earth Surpassing Path, all that's left is to accumulate more spiritual energy.'

While gathering my spiritual energy, its time to think.

Thud, thud.

Someone approaches from afar.

'By the sound of the footsteps, it's not Kim Young-hoon.'

They isn't someone skilled in martial arts.

Flames gather into the shape of a bird.

Fluttering and fluttering!

The fire-formed bird scatters sparks in all directions and then, like lightning, darts towards me.

'So fast!'

Judging by the structure of the spell, its the type that will explode upon direct impact.

"Earth Prison ()!"

I quickly form hand seals to create a prison of earth, trapping the fire-formed bird inside.

Boom!

The bird explodes within the prison, but the prison is only slightly charred and not destroyed.

"How could... Basic spells counter unique innate abilities...!"

"If you can draw out the true power of a spell, it's entirely possible."

I continue to use spells while speaking calmly.

"One who has reached a realm through Understanding before Breakthrough can dominate others of the same level...!"

"Argh... You said I could use magic artifacts!"

Clang!

The Jin Clan cultivator pulls out a red magic artifact emitting flames from his storage device.

The feathers on the tool flutter in his formation, akin to blazing flames.

"Twelve Flame Explosive Birds!"

Fwoosh!

Flames condense, and twelve firebirds form in the air.

"Attack!"

The birds fly in from twelve directions.

However, I start forming hand seals even faster.

Inside the yellow-brown cloud, spells begin to condense at an even faster rate.

Bang, bang, bang!

Basic spells fly out, shattering his unique innate abilities, and new basic spells begin to condense continuously.

"What, how can you condense spells faster than before..!"

I formed hand seals until my hands bled and my fingerprints disappeared.

This isn't enough to tire me out!

The yellow-brown cloud begins to engulf the red cloud.

"Ugh!"

The Jin Clan cultivator continues to swing his magic artifact, and as he starts to lose, he even takes out talismans to throw.

I match him equally with only basic spells, without using any magic artifacts or unique innate abilities.

If the battle drags on, my victory is assured due to my overflowing spiritual power, as I wasn't using any magic artifacts or powerful innate abilities.

Realizing this, he begins to increase his spiritual power even more, opting for a short battle.

Crack-

He bites his finger, drawing blood.

The red blood droplets rise into the air and soak into his magic artifact.

Rumble!

His magic artifact blazes even redder, emitting intense heat.

"Piercing Heat (), Explosive Brilliance ()!"

The heat breaks through limits, and a giant firebird flaps its wings like a phoenix.

"Not bad."

Is this the strength of a typical Grand Perfection Qi Refining cultivator?

"Thanks, now I know my own strength."

"What..?"

I begin forming different hand seals than before.

"Heavenly Explosion ()!"

Simultaneously, the water in the valley behind him begins to churn.

Whoosh!

A giant wave rises and engulfs him from behind.

His formation, clouds, and entire array of innate spells are enveloped by the wave, and the moisture evaporates, spreading steam everywhere.

A sudden sneak attack!

Its an attack of the 9th Star Qi Refining level, so it doesnt significantly affect his 14th Star Qi Refining formation.

However, his prepared spell is significantly weakened.

I seize the opportunity, forming sixteen hand seals in an instant.

Sixteen spells condense and fly towards him.

Boom, boom, boom!

Splash!

"Ugh..."

His formation and clouds are completely shattered, and the Jin Clan cultivator is swept into the valleys, submerged under water.

"Cough! Huff.. How, how did you... How did you reach the 14th Star of Qi Refining and master another element method, and even high-level Qi Refining techniques, how...!"

"I won the bet, so please keep my training here a secret as promised."

The Jin Clan cultivator, struggling in the valley, climbs onto a nearby rock and looks up at me incredulously.

"How... No, why? Why bother mastering two element methods..? At the 14th Star, you should be secluded, preparing for Qi Building..."

"Preparing for Qi Building."

I chuckle.

"I've been doing that consistently. For decades, continuously."

The smile on my lips is bitter.

"But I couldn't reach Qi Building, so I sought other methods by mastering different elements.

Isn't it that one without talent must try everything possible, within the bounds of not losing one's way, to reach a higher realm?"

I am actually thankful to this Jin Clan cultivator.

During our intense battle, I felt my spiritual power rapidly depleting and then recovering.

Through him, I have an idea.

'If practicing two element methods has already sped up my recovery rate to this point, what if I fully master them?'

What if not just two, but three elements? Or even four?

No, what about all five elements?

An absurd and foolish endeavor no one has tried.

It would take a lifetime just to fully master them.

But,

'I have gained insight from Understanding before Breakthrough, and I have enough time.'

If I fully master all five elemental methods,

How fast will my recovery rate become?

Could I attempt Qi Building dozens of times a day with that recovery rate?

The Jin Clan cultivator, apologizing for daring to disturb me, swears on his clan's honor to keep today's events a secret and quickly flees into the distance.

'I've decided.'

For a dullard to reach a higher realm, they must put in many times the effort of a genius.

So, why not just put in that much effort?

Even if I attain enlightenment in the morning and die in the evening, it's worth it.

"I will fully master the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation..!"

This had been brewing in my mind, and after today's duel with the Jin Clan cultivator, it burst forth.

I am resolved to complete all Five Elements to reach Qi Building.

***

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