Chapter 24: Refining (3)

Chapter 24: Refining (3) A new world appears before my eyes. Though I haven't fully entered that world yet, I sense that once I do, everything will change drastically. The purple thread. Familiarizing myself with the direction this new path points to, I recall the formula of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts'. Up to now, I memorized the formula but couldn't understand a single word. That's why, even possessing this divine technique, understanding it was impossible. Now, however. The moment I saw the path of purple, somehow, I felt I could understand 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts'. 'Now I understand why everyone who read 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' called it an absurd martial art.' Yes, this is a martial art that could completely overturn the history of martial arts in Yanguo. Its basis might be for escaping and ambushing cultivators. But if used properly, this could be. Undoubtedly a martial art meant to capture and kill those cultivators! A few cycles back, this was Kim Young-hoon's assessment of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' after mastering it. Yes, used properly, it's indeed a martial art capable of killing cultivators! The formula of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' crosses my mind. [In the contest of martial arts, if the clashing of colors represents the essence of martial arts can't we attack the colors themselves?] A phrase incomprehensible before stepping into the realm of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit. But now, I understand. 'Colors represent intent (spirit, will, etc). Attacking the colors themselves mean.' Attacking the opponent's intent directly! Beyond exchanging intent trajectories, attacking the intent themselves, and furthermore, cutting through the opponent's very consciousness, is the essence of Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts. One who uses this as a basis can enter a cultivator's blind spots and strike! The divine technique Kim Young-hoon showed, which made him disappear like a phantom, wasn't his agility but the record that quickly sliced through my consciousness, making it impossible for me to perceive him momentarily! Shuk! My sword dives into the flow of the Crown Prince's consciousness. Every human consciousness has its fibers. Aiming for the gaps in the fibers through the purple thread, I concentrate my intent following the formula of 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' and slice into his consciousness. Paat! The edges of his consciousness split. Though I stand before him, in his eyes, I must appear to have vanished like a phantom. I've entered the cultivator's blind spot. Ordinary martial artists can't perceive intent due to completely being dominated by a cultivator's consciousness domain. Conversely, a cultivator can detect every movement of a martial artist who enters their realm of consciousness. But 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' allows one to penetrate the cultivator's blind spot, rendering even cultivators unable to track a martial artist's actions. A martial art that momentarily equalizes martial artists with cultivators! This is. 'A martial art created by mortals to transcend the cultivators!' Quickly slicing through the fibers of the Crown Prince's consciousness, I approach him closely and raise my sword. Severing Mountain Swordsmanship. Transcending Peaks! Paat! My sword, covered in sword silk, precisely targets the Crown Prince's neck. Then, the sound of clashing metal resounds. Kaang! A translucent defensive spell suddenly covers him. Huh, huhuk! What trick did you play? Surprised by my sudden disappearance and close-range attack, he forms a spell seal. Kwaang! Energy writhes, changing the flow of the surrounding air. Purung!Updated from thrown backwards by a strong recoil, and a small whirlwind starts rising around the Crown Prince. Fun tricks, but I'll show you they won't work on a true cultivator! Pyeung! Several wind blades shoot out from the whirlwind covering him. I hastily retreat, dodging outside the Crown Prince's domain of consciousness. From outside his realm, the flow of intent becomes clear. Severing Mountain Swordsmanship. Strange Stone. Boom, boom, boom! In a defensive and offensive stance, I deflect all incoming wind blades and prepare to re-enter his domain. However, as the Crown Prince forms another spell seal, a wind bullet, as big as my upper body, shoots towards me from the whirlwind. 'I need to dodge.' Frowning, I deploy my agility technique and escape among the houses within the Makli Clan's territory. Kwaang, Kwaang, Kwaang! The wind bullet collapses several straw houses, and corpses and streams of blood from mortals spill out. 'I need to approach the whirlwind.' Observing the Crown Prince's whirlwind, I click my tongue. 'Every strand of that wind is a wind blade. If I approach, I'll be shredded.' Even if I manage to approach by cutting through his consciousness, if I can't penetrate the whirlwind, I can't deliver a strike. 'No, hold on.' Even if I penetrate the whirlwind, the Crown Prince's defensive spell remains. My sword silk isn't enough to penetrate his spell. 'How can I break through all of it?' Kwaang, kwaang, kwaang! I dodge through the alleys of the village, using the houses of cultivators as a shield against the Crown Prince's attacks. Dodging isn't a problem. As long as I keep observing the flow of his intent from outside his domain. However, fundamentally, the internal energy of a martial artist is more impure compared to a cultivator's spiritual power, so no matter how much internal energy a martial artist has, they will tire much quicker than a cultivator. 'I can't drag this out.' I need to finish this quickly. And to do that. 'Now, right now. I must ascend to Three Flowers Gather at the Summit!' I must seize this clue and ascend now. With the resolve to die! Ta-at! Climbing onto the roof of a house with my Transcending Peaks Step, I thrust my sword at the wind bullets the Crown Prince shoots. Boo-woong! Kwaang! Cutting upwards with Ascending Vein, the wind bullets split in half and fly off in different directions. Jing, jing, jing! 'My hand is trembling.' Indeed, the power contained in the wind bullets were formidable. The hand holding my sword ached unbearably. 'I'll keep receiving those attacks.' I gave up on dodging and continue to thrust my sword at his wind bullets and wind blades. The intent of the wind bullets and wind blades is directed at me. I observe the attacks coming from both sides and prepare my stance. Severing Mountain Swordsmanship. Landscape Painting! Diagonal slashes extend left and right, cutting through the approaching wind blades and wind bullets. But beyond, even more endless wind blades rush in. 'They don't stop.' I keep wielding my sword and perform sword moves. Severing Mountain Swordsmanship. Joy of Mountains and Peaks. Flowing Ridge. Strange Stone. Bouldered Cliff. Amidst continuous rotation. Piercing and slicing the wind bullets. I attack and block in a defensive and offensive stance. While doing so, I begin to approach step by step again. Shuk! Shuk! I cautiously advance, inching forward with measured steps Shoulder, waist, cheek, thigh. The flesh touched by the wind blades turn to tatters. "Hmph, dare to come at me! Die!" The Crown Prince forms a spell seal, and the whirlwind writhes, as numerous wind blades begin to merge. Soon, they form the shape of a giant bird. A deep red consciousness aims at me. A terrifying killing intent pierces the entire space I stand in. I can't block it. I can't dodge it. The moment it flies at me, I'll die. I instinctively know. But for some reason, I'm not worried. I just aimlessly follow the faint purple thread between the red. 'What does purple mean?' Blue is the thread of self-protection. Thus, it extends from me. Red is the thread of killing intent. Thus, it extends from the enemy. Then what is purple? Purple is... Suddenly, I feel as if the red and blue threads are mingling, somewhat forming a Tai Chi. Though blue is weaker compared to red, it mixes with red. And between red and blue. A purple thread opens a path. 'Purple is the color born from the mix of blue and red.' Hostility and self-will. The will to protect oneself and the will to kill. Why can these two intents mix? Suddenly, looking at the stance I've taken, I'm amazed. Facing this fearsome attack, I've adopted the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship's first move, Transcending Peaks. 'Do I no longer want to live?' No, that's not it. I've always wanted to live. Then, the current stance also means my will to live has guided me towards it. 'Ah, right.' This isn't just a simple Transcending Peaks. Transcending Peaks marks both the beginning and end of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship. Therefore, it can also be the initial form of the ultimate technique, Severing Mountain (). Kieeek! The giant bird flies towards me. I initiate the twenty-second form of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Severing Mountain (). Transcending Peaks (). Entering Mountain (). Ascending Vein (). Flowing Ridge (). Kaang! Dozens, hundreds of wind blades seemed to shoot towards me. But I did not flinch, sensing their intent. I felt it. Kaang, kang, kang! Landscape Painting ()! Dozens of slashes extended in all directions, shedding the wind blades, and I successfully penetrated the inside of the whirlwind. Inside, the Crown Prince's consciousness was denser and harder to cut. 'No matter.' At this distance, my sword can reach him. I infused my sword with Sword Gang. Paat! A bright white light burst from my sword, shocking the Crown Prince who just noticed me. 'Before, I couldn't pierce the defensive spell with sword silk.' But Sword Gang would be different! Kwaang! My single sword stroke shattered the Crown Prince's defensive spell like glass. "Kreuaak!" Chaaak! My sword tore a part of his neck. Paaat! The Crown Prince hurriedly executed a wind spell to dodge my sword. For the first time, fear seemed to surface in his eyes. "He, heek. Don't come. Stay away!" Paat! I lunged at him with the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts, cutting through his consciousness again. As I disappeared from his sight, his complexion turned deathly pale. "G-go away! Get away, get away from me!" Kwaaaa! A gust of wind howled. He blindly scattered wind in all directions due to not seeing me, but I quickly sliced through the wind and approached him again. Chaaak! Using Sword Gang, I aimed at him once more. The Crown Prince screamed and used another spell, narrowly surviving once more. "Die! Just die!" Paat! As he chanted a spell, forming another incantation, once again, spells in the forms of giant bird, wind dragon, phoenix, and Qilin burst forth. Now fully grounded in Three Flowers Gather at the Summit and using Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts, they were useless against me. Shuk! I rushed towards the giant bird with Deep Mountain, slicing it, then pierced the wind dragon with Flowing Ridge. Dodging other spells with Mountain Lords Soaring Flight, I chase after the prince. Once again, he uses powerful spells to escape from me. The situation had reversed. "Hu, huk! Huoooork!" The Crown Prince miserably ran away, continuously forming incantations. Compared to me, who uses my internal energy without any waste, the Crown Prince, who had kept casting large-scale spells that never hit, now turned pale. "Ju, just die! Please, just die! Huaaaa!" 'With the next strike, I'll end it.' I took the stance of Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven and took a breath. "Ha, ha! Krk!" While fleeing, the Crown Prince suddenly changes direction, leaping with a spell. 'Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven!' Shuk! My Sword Gang extends and aims at his legs, severing them. "Kraaak! Damn, damn it! A mere martial artist, why a martial artist!!" In agony from his severed legs, he grits his teeth at me. "You! Do you think what you're doing is right? Do you think the Jin Clan you're with is any different?" I silently raise my sword towards him. "Hahaha! That's right, you received the Blessing Pill from father years ago! The Blessing Pill is made of the same material as the Revival Pill. And you know what the Qi Building Pill is, the one that Qi Refining cultivators eat to ascend to Qi Building right?" I raise my sword towards the babbling prince. "The Qi Building Pill is made using a hundred years of human vital energy and essence as one of its ingredients! Do you think there's a Qi Building cultivator who ascended without eating a Qi Building Pill? Over 99% of Qi Building cultivators ascend by consuming Qi Building Pills! The Jin Clan you follow is no different in the end! They all consume human lives! Since you've eaten the Blessing Pill, you're no different..." Puk! I kick the Crown Prince in the chest. He coughed up blood, struggling to breathe. But I, too, had to gasp for air. I had lost too much blood. There were places where flesh had been completely torn away, and I was losing sensation in my thigh. I glanced down at the Crown Prince coughing on the ground, then took out a silk box from my pocket. I looked at the Blessing Pill inside. A lustrous pill with a hint of red. A legendary elixir said to extend a person's life by ten years. Today, I realized the true nature of the red hue in the Blessing Pill. Tuk Crunch. I throw the filthy pill beside the Crown Prince and crush it under my foot. "Don't worry. I have no intention of ever consuming such filthy pills made by you cultivators." Flames roared and raged. The Makli Clans base was now engulfed in flames by the fire spells of the Jin Clan cultivators. Above, a battle was raging among Qi Building cultivators. Kim Young-hoon was also engaged in that battle. 'I need to hurry... and help.' Would I have been able to move a bit more if I had taken the Blessing Pill? But I have no regrets. I don't want to touch a filthy pill made at the expense of human lives. Sleung I raise my sword. "Farewell." I struck down at the Crown Prince. Shuk! What's happening? Why is my body upside down? I suddenly realize that my neck felt empty. 'Ah, I see. My head has been cut off.' It was due to a wind blade that suddenly shot from the necklace the Crown Prince was wearing. A wind blade I couldn't possibly block or dodge. 'I need to... cut.' Finally reaching that realm. To be a little more helpful. Is this how I die? 'No, it's not.' Even if I die like this. Let me be of some help. Despite achieving the realm I longed for, to die without doing anything? 'I'll cut! I'll cut!' Even if I die, I'll keep cutting! "Huh...huk..." Makli Hyun, the Crown Prince of Yanguo, gasped for breath upon witnessing the decapitated body of Seo Eun-hyun. 'I survived.' The life-saving magical instrument given to the Crown Prince of Yanguo. A one-time use magical instrument capable of delivering a blow equivalent to a Qi Building cultivator was activated. "...Ha, hahaha!" He laughed maniacally. "I won! I beat this mortal! You can never challenge the authority of cultivators Ha, haha! Kuhk! Kuk!" He coughed up blood. He had used too many powerful spells excessively. His spiritual power was depleted, and he couldn't move his legs. 'I need to recover my spiritual power with spirit stones.' He looked up at the sky. Among the martial artists who came with Seo Eun-hyun, there was a monster who was confronting Qi Building-level elders head-on. 'I shouldn't have come to gain merit. I need to escape before it's too late...' Then, it happened. Wriggle "..." Seo Eun-hyun's decapitated body began to move. "What?" Makli Hyun dumbfoundedly watched the body. A body without a head, now adopting a stance. "What, what's going on! No, nooo!" Without any spiritual power controlling its movements, it wasn't a Jiangshi. "Why is he moving!" He tried to stand and flee, but his legs wouldn't move. Then, Seo Eun-hyun's intent captured his consciousness. 'This is...' Obsession! An overwhelming obsession to cut down the opponent in front of him, no matter what, was raging within Seo Eun-hyun's body. 'Nonsense! How can a mere mortal have such obsession!' Seo Eun-hyun's corpse took on a sword stance. Though his corpse could not gather energy into the sword, Makli Hyun was now powerless, unable to move, and had even used up his one-time life-saving magical device. The sword began to move. "This is nonsense! How can a mere mortal possess such tenacity? How can such a thing be possible! Why, why won't you give up even in death!" It was Seo Eun-hyun's body. The body he honed in martial arts all his life. The hands that held the sword so tightly through decades of arduous training. His lifelong dedication to refining his martial arts, even in death, moved his body on its own, performing its destined task. "Why won't you give up! Why resist even in death!!!" Swoosh! Seo Eun-hyun's sword cleanly sliced off the upper part of Makli Hyun's mouth. His mouth remained agape in disbelief until his death, and his eyes were filled with incredulity and fear until the end. Seo Eun-hyun's head, even severed, bore a faint smile. Thus ended the life of a man who had relentlessly refined himself. This was Seo Eun-hyun's fifth return. Translator Notes: Headless Eun-hyun isekais into another world as a Durahan. The end. Anyway, the 4th cycle is now over. What did yall think of it? I feel Seo Eun-hyun's character and determination is deepening every cycle. In the third cycle, Seo Eun-hyun engraved the concept that the untalented must go mad in order to advance. In this cycle, Seo Eun-hyun engraved the concept that if he can gain enlightment in the morning, he is fine with death in the evening. Meaning, Seo Eun-hyun must train and pursue martial arts with death as a consequence. What will he engrave in the next? The next cycle is one of my favorites. It might be a tad bit slow in the middle, but trust me it'll be worth it in the end! *** Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried Link to donations in the discord!