Chapter 321

Chapter 321

Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

Nakcheon, probably the Heavenly Demon of the Divine Cult—when that bastard first showed it to me, I knew this was the original form of martial arts. And for good reason, because even though it was a method of using yokai power in the form of ritual sorcery, its format looked quite similar to martial arts.

It feels different from the sorcery that other yokai use to cause miracles with their yokai power. If the Divine Maiden truly created martial arts in the past, she must have been inspired by Nakcheon’s power to create martial arts.

However, just because the Heavenly Demon Divine Art became the original form of martial arts doesn’t mean that fully implementing the Heavenly Demon Divine Art as martial arts is impossible for an ordinary human—it goes beyond difficult or not difficult, it’s simply impossible. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art centers around yokai power, and unless you’re a yokai, you can’t handle yokai power.

That’s why my goal now, being able to handle yokai power, was to make it possible to handle the Heavenly Demon Divine Art with internal energy rather than yokai power. And.

That idea achieved a certain degree of success.

“Urgh.”

Literally only a certain degree.

“I didn’t expect a yokai body to have a rejection reaction to refined internal energy…”

“Can you not handle it at all, like yokai power?”

Whether it’s energy that can’t be handled at all.

I let out a chuckle at Seowoo’s question, which contained puzzlement, and shook my head.

“No, it doesn’t seem to be that bad. It’s more like… the compatibility doesn’t match, I suppose.”

Unlike how humans experience a violent rejection reaction the moment they contain even a handful of yokai power in their bodies, the internal energy used with a yokai body doesn’t feel quite like that. You can use it if you try to use it, but it puts a great burden on the body—like forcibly fitting mismatched gears into a mechanism and making it turn.

“Will you be okay today?”

“…I’ll be fine. Today’s opponent in the Great War is still manageable.”

“Even though it’s the thirty-two strongest?”

“Yes. No matter how much it’s the thirty-two strongest, there’s tournament luck, so there’s no law saying a strong opponent must come up. Rather, what we need to watch carefully are the others.”

“The others…”

“Those we know don’t matter. What we especially need to watch are forces we don’t know well. The Ten Heavens who have hidden themselves for a long time, the Three Lords of Saeoe, and… even Ilnachar.”

Ilnachar, Jeokyeo betrayed Heukya and sided with us. Since she became a yokai, it means she has no more business with Heukya.

Thinking about it, it’s a plausible reason. According to hyung-nim, Heukya is an existence that leads both humans and yokai to extinction, and Jeokyeo, who has already become a yokai, has nothing left to gain from Heukya and only things to lose, so forming a common front isn’t strange.

However,

‘Even so, I can’t fully trust her.’

The opponent is that Jeokyeo. The genius of schemes who took the initiative in all of the Blood Cult’s plots and devised stratagems.

If it were anyone else it would be one thing, but since the opponent is such a Jeokyeo, believing her without any preparation is a foolish act. At the very least, it would be right to grasp how much Jeokyeo’s power has increased after becoming a yokai, and what kind of things she can do.

“Among those you listed, who has the first match?”

“Daehwalbeul. It’s the third match… it’s starting soon.”

“That works out well. Since I’m the fourteenth match, I can watch leisurely.”

I exhaled, forcibly calming my startled body from overdoing it yesterday by moving my yokai power, and looked at the martial stage. Just then, Taeak’s figure was descending below the martial stage after dealing with his opponent with overwhelming might.

‘This is good learning.’

The martial arts of Transcenders are martial arts that deviate from the norm. And deviating from the norm also means they’re that much harder to witness.

The reason martial artists can’t easily achieve transcendence also lies there. Most people can’t even get a sense of what a Transcender’s martial arts is like, and most of the rest who do get a sense don’t know what form to continue it in.

For those trying to achieve transcendence, the experience of witnessing a Transcender’s martial arts is a precious experience that can’t be exchanged even for a thousand gold.

How important is the experience of being able to see the martial arts of those who cast off not just the form and style of martial arts but even the laws binding themselves, and establish new martial studies—does that need separate explanation?

‘Perhaps.’

I don’t know what hyung-nim wants. But I think I know one thing. The transcendence I tried to achieve in Xinjiang was the right path in itself, but conversely, it was incomplete.

I can feel experience and insight accumulating bit by bit. A sensation as if the path I should aim for is revealing its outline, however faintly.

‘If I watch just a little more…’

If I watch just a little more, perhaps I might be able to establish it perfectly. My own ‘Mu.’

I let out a small sentiment with a sigh and propped my chin, and at that moment the next participant came up. Along with it, a voice rang out loudly.

“The next martial competitors, come up to the martial stage!”

The crowd parts.

“Amitabha.”

I narrowed my eyes as I watched a monk in the characteristic red robes of the Western Regions slowly come up and bow. On the surface, he looks like just an ordinary monk. However.

‘Tremendous.’

The moment I expand my energy sense, I can tell. The moment I expand my energy sense around where that monk is, the sense itself gets eaten away.

That is the head monk of the Three Lords. The absolute one of Saeoe who has transcended. Daehwalbeul.

The wall I must overcome.

“Who’s today’s opponent?”

“The Wudang Sect Leader, Yeongsa Jinin.”

“Huh, this will be a sight to see.”

Yeongsa Jinin, is it.

I stroked my rough chin while listening to the murmuring sounds. If it’s the current Wudang Sect Leader Yeongsa Jinin, there’s a rumor that his martial prowess never falls below the Ten Heavens—literally one who stands among the ranks of Daoism’s strongest.

It won’t be as heated as the fight between the strongest of the White Path and Black Path, but it’s a situation where Buddhism’s strongest and Daoism’s strongest are clashing. No matter how much Daehwalbeul’s superiority is being predicted, both sides have their pride, so they’ll give their all. Probably we’ll see a good match.

“Both sides, prepare.”

Breathing becomes orderly.

Confirming that the murmuring sounds died down due to the moderator’s voice, Yeongsa Jinin raised his sword finger seal. And.

“Begin!”

“This monk’s disadvantage is clear, so I’ll take the first move!”

Taiji Wisdom Sword

Taiji Principle Heaven Measure

The moment Yeongsa Jinin’s sword finger seal drew a circle and traced out the two principles along with the start signal.

Great Hand Seal

Yeongsa Jinin’s sword finger seal shattered into pieces.

With just one strike.

──!!!

A surging aftershock.

“…Huh.”

Yeongsa Jinin, who had been staring at his sword finger seal that left not even a trace with vacant eyes, let out a hollow laugh and took a step back. And at that moment, Daehwalbeul bowed his head in courtesy.

“Amitabha. This monk’s heart was too hasty and broke your precious beloved weapon. I will compensate you.”

“…It’s fine. Though it’s a good sword, it’s not as if Wudang doesn’t have similar swords. But was there a reason to be in such a hurry?”

“The heart of one who wishes to challenge is hasty by nature.”

“Challenge?”

Who is it? Who is receiving the challenge of that overwhelming Daehwalbeul?

Those who unconsciously gave their gaze to the three absolute ones mentioned as the Central Plains’ absolute masters—Sword Saint, Taeak, Ilryun—swallowed their throats while waiting for Daehwalbeul’s words. And.

“Amitabha. The one this monk wishes to challenge is…”

The figure of Daehwalbeul looking at me quietly with a smile, paying no mind to those gazes.

…Hm?

“It is you. Uicheon.”

“…”

“Among those who guard the will of humanity, you are the Number One Under Heaven. How could I not challenge you?”

Me?

‘Ah.’

After blankly repeating Daehwalbeul’s words for a moment, I let out a hollow laugh and pressed down firmly on my bamboo hat. One thing I can guess.

It seems.

Daehwalbeul is mistaking me for Nakcheon.

…The situation is taking a strange turn.

***

Meanwhile, at that time. Hwangryongjang.

“You’ll become my successor, so give me the Heavenly Silkworm Thread?”

“Yes.”

“Hehe. That’s a lie.”

“…It’s not a lie though?”

“You brat. How many years do you think I’ve been watching you?”

“…”

Gayeom bit her lip at the figure of Hwangryongjangju who saw through her intentions the moment they met and talked. However, Hwangryongjangju’s story continued regardless.

“From what I see, it seems like the world will end if things continue like this, and if the world ends you won’t have to inherit Hwangryongjang, so you’re trying to handle the Heavenly Silkworm Thread at this opportunity.”

“…I said it’s not. What do you take me for?”

“What do I take you for? You’re the disciple who, after I taught you skills to the fullest, ran off to set up her own workshop.”

“…”

“Hehe. I can’t give you the Heavenly Silkworm Thread. Even if you became my successor, it would be the same. That’s not something any Tom, Dick, or Harry can touch. Do you know why?”

“Why… is that?”

“Because if you make fabric using ordinary methods, the Heavenly Silkworm Thread becomes silk that’s only good on the surface—literally useless for anything.”

“Useless silk?”

“Do you know why Heavenly Silkworm Thread is the best material?”

“…No.”

“It’s because the tailor’s will dwells in the Heavenly Silkworm Thread. Not in the clothes, but in the fabric itself.”

Generally, tailors can contain their will in the artifact called clothes by borrowing the form of clothes.

For instance, if they wish for the wearer to spend winter warmly, they can make and give clothes by quilting cotton, and if they want something convenient for activity, they can make clothes using materials that don’t flutter well and have good elasticity.

Tailors who make fabric don’t completely fail to contain their will in the fabric either. It’s natural that fabric’s use changes depending on how you make it. However.

Whether they can contain their direct will in that fabric is another matter.

Fabric is, after all, an unfinished product that hasn’t been completed into clothes.

Because they can’t decide the form of the finished product themselves.

“Have you heard the story that famous blacksmiths put their heart and soul into each strike of the hammer when making swords?”

“I’ve heard of it, but… what about it?”

“In the end, when you reach the ultimate level, it’s the same. When making Heavenly Silkworm Thread, the most important thing is will.”

“Will?”

“The will of what to accomplish with this silk. You must be able to newly refine your will each time you weave strand by strand and contain it in the thread to weave it into fabric. Literally by clearly capturing the form.”

Weaving will.

The words sound easy, but it’s absolutely not an easy task. Right away, will is something invisible, and there are tremendously many cases where stray thoughts get mixed in during work, aren’t there?

“We call those who can mechanically do what they must do like a machine even when stray thoughts are mixed in artisans. But artisans can’t handle Heavenly Silkworm Thread.”

“Then…”

“Madmen.”

Those who can look at only that one thing, crazed about fabric without a single stray thought.

“Only such people can handle Heavenly Silkworm Thread. Even I, who have only touched cloth for over half a century, can’t be confident I can handle Heavenly Silkworm Thread perfectly. Much less if I entrust it to you, there’s no way something proper will come out. So would I entrust it to you? Hehe.”

There’s no point in entrusting it. Not only is Gayeom’s level not at that point, but even if her level reached that point, Heavenly Silkworm Thread is such that there’s no guarantee she could complete it properly.

“If you understand, go back.”

“…Then.”

“Don’t ask me to make it for you either. As I just said, Heavenly Silkworm Thread is about containing will, and I can’t know exactly what will should be contained.”

At the figure of Hwangryongjangju issuing an order to leave, Gayeom moved her mouth as if she had something to say, then couldn’t say it and lowered her head. And watching that figure, Seohwa spoke quietly.

“In the end, you’re saying it can’t be done because unni’s level is insufficient, right?”

“Hm? That’s right.”

“Then it’s simple.”

Seohwa, who smiled brightly, grabbed Gayeom’s shoulder.

“Let’s take off our rank insignias and have a bout. Jangju-nim.”

“…What?”