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The interior of the archive is dim and murky.
At the same time, the area is permeated with a formation that blurs the senses, making it hard to distinguish where anything was. If it weren't for the clues given to me by Jin Byuk-ho, I might not have been able to find the archive of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect in just a few months.
I extend my consciousness, carefully navigating the structure of the archive while avoiding the interference of the formation.
After a while, I enter the archive and walk towards the section where the books are kept.
"Tsk...There's hardly anything left."
I click my tongue in disappointment.
Perhaps because the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect ascended to the higher realms and took all the important items from the sect with them, there were only a few books left in the archive.
"Let's see…The record about the founder of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Ancestor Yang Su-jin..."Fortunately, what I was looking for was still there, and I started reading the book without hesitation.
The book detailed the life of Yang Su-jin, the founding ancestor of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. It was not much different from what I had read in the royal archive of Shengzi.
There were minor specific details and differences, but the broader aspects were as I already knew.
Of course, there were some shockingly accurate details described.
"Ha, he ascended to the higher realms and really tore through the void to descend back to this world."
The book detailed the years when Yang Su-jin ascended and returned.
According to the book, it took roughly three thousand years for him to ascend and then come back.
'Three thousand years...'
It seems short compared to the history of 120,000 years, but even mankind's calendar on Earth is roughly only two thousand years old. What concept of time can three thousand years represent?
'In any case, it's confirmed that Yang Su-jin is the cause behind the Ascension Gate.'
The book explicitly stated that the Ascension Gate was established by 'our founding patriarch.'
Of course, the space where the Ascension Gate opened was originally prone to spatial rifts and instability.
It was said that never before had such a clear pathway to the higher realms been created.
'I want to read more about the Ascension Gate, but it seems the rest is just about how he established the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and governed the sect.'
I felt a bit disappointed and turned the page.
As I reach the end of the book, I furrow my brows.
'Yang Su-jin disappeared in his later years?'
I was surprised to find such a bold statement in the sect's archive, declaring that their founding patriarch had gone missing.
'It's more credible than a book of wild conjectures, but still...'
Missing?
A cultivator who achieved the Heavenly Being stage and ascended.
After reaching much higher realms and tearing through the void to descend, he just went missing?
I flip through the book but find only statements about how the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect had searched the entire continent and seas but couldn't find anything about their founding patriarch.
I closed the book and picked up another one.
This book detailed the lineage of the sect's leaders and their relationships.
I scanned it quickly, hoping to find something useful, but found nothing and closed it, moving on to the next book.
The next was not useful either, containing the wills and sayings of past sect leaders.
'As I thought, they took all the important and secret documents and left only what others could see.'
Feeling slightly irritated, I still hoped to find something useful and kept turning the pages.
'The collection of wills of the past leaders of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect? What use do I have for this...'
Suddenly, while flipping through the book, I pause.
Although Yang Su-jin had disappeared without leaving a will, his last words before disappearing were recorded in the book.
-There is no place like home. Do the disciples of the sect have a home in their hearts?
'Home...'
It was part of a speech he had given before disappearing.
My eyes are drawn to the first sentence of the speech, 'There is no place like home.'
I shift my gaze to the last sentence.
-People all have a home in their hearts. We must all strive to reach that home in our hearts.
"To reach the home in our hearts..."
A few days later, Yang Su-jin was recorded as having disappeared.
'Went to find his home?'
I ponder over these lines for a while, then close the book.
My mind is filled with thoughts.
With mixed feelings, I picked up the next book.
The book was similar to the previous book but contained a collection of teachings and warnings left by the leaders for future generations.
I read a warning left by Yang Su-jin, for future generations.
"Future generations must read the stele erected by the founding master in front of the Void Gate before attempting to ascend to the higher realms. This is a crucial rule that must be followed by all future ascendants of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. Remember, always remember."
The "Void Gate" mentioned here seems to refer to the Ascension Gate.
"The stele in front of the Ascension Gate..."
It was a stele inscribed with thunderclouds, floating in the void, absorbing lightning, with the words:
"...leave something behind for future generations and ascend with a calm heart. Those who do not abide by this will face disaster."
But, the part about what exactly to leave behind was damaged, so its full meaning remained unknown.
I click my tongue lightly, guessing that Yang Su-jin's warning had likely not been heeded.
"It seems it was prepared for future generations, but now that the entire sect has ascended to the higher realms, it probably doesn't matter anymore."
After all, it was an event from 120,000 years ago, difficult to maintain till now.
The original purpose of the stele remains unknown, but it seems to have served its purpose.
After reading the book, I turn my attention to the next one.
"Hmm? This book is the last."
Perhaps because the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect took everything necessary, there were no more books in the archive.
I picked up the last book and read it.
Surprisingly, the last book contained a unique technique of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect!
This technique, called Lightning Predicting Eye, is an eye technique relying on the sense of reading celestial energy to predict tomorrow's weather and where and how lightning will strike.
"...How am I supposed to use this?"
It seems the sect themselves deemed this book useless and left it behind.
Predicting the weather is something cultivators, even demon beasts, could do. With the demon race’s senses of ‘Earth’, one could predict lightning strikes without the need for Lightning Predicting Eye.
Sensitive cultivators could even calculate the location of lightning strikes based on the flow of spiritual energy.
"No, wait."
This technique seems designed for the slightly less spiritually sensitive cultivators to calculate the location of lightning strikes based on the flow of spiritual energy.
A vague technique created specifically for lower-level cultivators.
"......"
I skim through the book quickly, storing it in my mind.
"Can't say if it'll be of any use."
How often does one encounter lightning in life anyway? Those powerful enough to predict and avoid lightning would defend themselves with their own abilities. For those too weak, needing the use of the technique, it would be of no use anyway.
I close the last book and look around the archive again.
As expected, nothing else is left.
"I came here thinking it would take years to find what I need."
But I had read all the books in the archive in less than a day.
There were hardly more than ten books in total.
So much for gaining any knowledge.
I didn't learn anything new about the Ascension Gate, just some strange and unsettling conjectures about Yang Su-jin.
I leave the archive and explore the area around Shattered Heaven Peak.
There were traces of the massive sect and many cultivators' lives, but Shattered Heaven Peak was now empty. Where buildings might have stood, only traces remained, not even foundation stones.
It seems the entire sect, including the buildings, had ascended to the higher realms.
There was nothing more to see.
"Sigh..."
I sat down where a building once stood at the edge of Shattered Heaven Peak.
"Maybe I should just go back to Seo Ran."
I had originally come to the western mountains to investigate the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect for the remaining two years.
I didn't expect to finish so quickly without much to show for it.
Lost in thought, I suddenly notice the spiritual energy at the peak is incredibly dense.
"Thinking about it, it makes sense. This was the site of a large sect."
The spiritual energy is several times denser than at the main house of the Cheongmun Clan.
"There's no need to hurry back to Seo Ran's place, given such a great training ground."
After all, I came here because Seo Ran said it would take him three years to prepare.
If I go back now, I'd just be training anyway.
So why not train here, where the spiritual energy is denser than at Seo Ran's place?
"Yes, this place seems more conductive for trying to ascend to Qi Building."
I move my recovered Qi Refining 14th Star spiritual power, sensing the spiritual cloud swirling in my dantian.
The decision is quick.
I enter a cave likely used by the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, find a spot, and sit down cross-legged.
‘I spent the previous year learning the Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation method. Now, for the remaining time, I should try to reach the Qi Building stage and see if I have any chance of achieving it.’
The spiritual cloud in my dantian began to move.
Ascending to the Qi Building stage involves condensing the spiritual cloud into a single spiritual star.
The spiritual energy must be condensed into the form of a star to truly ascend to the Qi Building stage.
The spiritual cloud gradually began to rotate, and under my will, started to converge into a single point.
Rumble -
The spiritual cloud gathered towards the center of my dantian.
As it concentrated, it compressed to form a star!
Crunch!
Driven by my willpower, the spiritual cloud compressed, and the temperature at its core rose.
At the same time, the fluffy spiritual mist began to merge with each other.
Once the fusion of the spiritual cloud inside the dantian is complete and a stable star is born, I can ascend to the Qi Building stage.
However,
Crack, crack...
Cracks began to form in the star.
"!"
Flash!
Suddenly, there was a flash in the dantian, and the forming star exploded.
Boom!
"Argh!"
I exert all my strength to prevent damage to my dantian.
Thanks to that, the energy of my Inner Core became refined once again, but my face contorted in pain.
'This attempt failed too.'
I needed to capture and stabilize the slight changes occurring at the moment of the star's birth.
Possessing the Five Elements Spiritual Roots, my spiritual power is too chaotic, making it difficult to grasp all the 'slight changes.'
There were too many changes to catch them all.
"Sigh..."
I sigh and examine the state of my dantian.
The spiritual cloud was completely consumed, and my level fell back to the completed 12th Star Qi Refining
'It's frustrating.'
Using Qi Building Pills would greatly reduce the difficulty of reaching the Qi Building stage.
The pure life force in the Qi Building pills injects vitality into the spiritual star, significantly stabilizing it.
However, knowing what the 'life force' in the pills is made of makes me reluctant to use them.
'No, it's more than reluctance.'
It's something that, as a human, I should not consume.
As this thought sank in, I let out a wry laugh, realizing the path I am attempting.
Attempting to reach the Qi Building stage without Qi Building Pills, despite having the Five Elements Spiritual Roots, is madness.
Except for those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots, which cultivator wouldn't use Qi Building Pills to ascend?
The more Spiritual Roots one has, the more subtle changes accompany the birth of the spiritual star. Even those with True Spiritual Roots often take Qi Building Pills due to the crazing shaking of their spiritual star due to the slight changes..
For every inferior spiritual root, the number of accompanying changes increases by a square.
As someone with Five Element Spiritual Roots, I need to control 4 times more changes than someone with True Spiritual Roots.
"Damn it."
I clench my fists in frustration.
This is why I even learned demon beast methods like Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation, to try and find another way.
However, after learning demon beast methods, I realized that they had no relation to the Qi Building process.
'They don't affect each other.'
Like oil and water, the two energies flow separately.
Even though other realizations might bring some connection, currently, they seem unrelated.
'No choice then.'
The only consolation was that every attempt at Qi Building, despite resulting in explosions, refined the energy in my Inner Core.
I sigh and begin to cultivate to reach the 14th Star of Qi Refining again..
Months passed.
I tried again and again to ascend to the Qi Building stage.
Numerous explosions occurred in my dantian, and I experienced excruciating pain each time.
The advantage of being in a region dense with spiritual energy was that, with enough understanding of the stages, I could recover my cultivation from the 12th Star to the 13th and 14th Star of Qi Refining fairly quickly and attempt Qi Building multiple times.
Whoosh!
The number of changes occurring in the spiritual star easily exceeded tens of thousands.
If I could stabilize all these changes and maintain the fusion of the spiritual cloud, a spiritual star would be born.
That is the Qi Building stage.
However, I was overwhelmed just trying to track these daunting changes, let alone catch them all.
I had to catch and understand every minute and faint change of spiritual power that’s equivalent or smaller than a grain of sand, stabilize them, and then base the fusion of the spiritual cloud on that to create the spiritual star.
"Damn, it's too difficult."
Even when using Gang Sphere to quadruple the speed of my thoughts, I barely manage to observe the transformations without missing them.
'The only hope seems to be... increasing the number of Gang Spheres to further accelerate thought.'
My consciousness had grown to the extreme level of Qi Refining, and had become almost as vast as it would be in the Qi Building stage.
The larger the consciousness, the more pronounced the acceleration of mental facilities.
Even more so than Kim Young-hoon, who hasn't practiced cultivation!
'Maybe, if I can handle nine Gang Spheres like Kim Hyung, there might be some hope.'
Boom!
The fusion of the Spiritual Cloud failed again, and an explosion occurred, causing pain in my dantian.
Cough!
I spit out a mouthful of blood and manage my internal injuries with internal energy.
Another failure.
With each failure, I find myself focusing more on accelerating thought through the realm of martial arts.
And again, I begin to think about the demon beast methods.
'Martial arts are certainly similar to the methods of the demon race.'
Of course, they're just similar.
They are fundamentally different.
Like the wings of insects and birds, two completely different creatures that have simply undergone convergent evolution.
But certainly, the results they produced are similar.
'So, they can be referenced.'
Demon beast methods and cultivation methods are completely unrelated.
However, for someone without innate talent to attempt to leap to the next stage, a synergy with martial arts is necessary.
And martial arts resemble demon beast methods.
Whoosh!
A Gang Sphere emerges from my heart.
I invoke the ‘Earth’ sensation that the demons feel.
Now familiar with the demons' sensations, invoking them only causes a slight headache.
It is no longer painful.
This is similar to when I first perceived intent.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
The circulation of Yin and Yang and Taiji in heaven and earth entere my sight.
I can see, or rather feel, the Taiji circulating everywhere in heaven and earth.
All the celestial energy is constantly circulating, with Yin and Yang rotating.
I succeeded in manipulating three Gang Spheres by interpreting the Yin and Yang of heaven and earth, and the changes arising from Yin and Yang from the aspect of Man.
Whoosh!
Just like the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the Gang Sphere splits into Heaven and Earth, and between Yin and Yang, life is born, symbolizing Man with the Gang Sphere.
'What exactly must be realized to control nine Gang Spheres?'
I recall the Ultimate Pinnacle that the Kim Young-hoons of my past lives had reached.
When I knew nothing, I just admired it as something incredible.
I never had the luxury to think about the principle behind it.
But now, having reached the stage of manipulating three Gang Spheres, I can’t even begin to fathom how it was done.
'Furthermore...'
Kim Young-hoon hadn't awakened demon senses through advice like me.
'Did he just naturally grasp the principle of the Three Talents within the Gang Spheres and control nine of them?'
Looking at it again, it is truly an insane talent.
But I refocus my thoughts.
Talent is just the quality of realizing quickly.
If I can understand what was realized, I too can follow in his footsteps!
"...I've decided."
I take a deep breath, concentrate on the Unified Origin of spiritual power, and stand up with my Qi Refining 13th Star cultivation.
"I shouldn't waste time here, I need to go to Kim Hyung."
I plan to formally teach him the demon senses, explain the Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation to him, and help him gain inspiration.
Dash!
I leave the stone cave of Shattered Heaven Peak, kick off the ground, and race towards Yanguo.
To meet Kim Young-hoon in Yanguo, I used the same means as last time through the Jin Clan.
After contacting Kim Young-hoon, he rushed to me in a day.
"Ha ha, how long has it been!"
"It's been a while. You've advanced further again in the meantime."
Since our last meeting, Kim Young-hoon had completely destroyed the Makli Dynasty in collaboration with the Jin Clan.
"Yeah, thanks to you, I succeeded in reaching the Ultimate Pinnacle. I made a name for myself too... But what do you mean by 'again'?"
He welcomed me, but suddenly sensing something off in my words, he asked.
I was startled by his question but quickly composed myself and answered.
"Ah, I mean... Kim Hyung was a department head, and now you've risen even higher in this world. Ha ha.."
"Uwhahaha! A middle manager in a mid-sized company, what are you talking about?"
"Ha ha.."
I control my thoughts and inwardly break out in a cold sweat.
'I unconsciously got a bit confused with my past life.'
As memories accumulate, I sometimes get confused like this.
"Anyway..."
I refine my intent and question.
"Have you improved your skills a bit?"
I ask him with a playful expression.
'I never thought I'd ask such a question in my life...'
Instead of answering, Kim Young-hoon suddenly extends his intent towards me.
I, too, smile and extend my intent in response.
Flash!
Light explodes.
The sound around us vanishes.
In the quiet void, we collide in an instant.
'Let's start.'
2x acceleration.
Boom!
I dive into Kim Young-hoon's embrace and thrust an attack onto him.
However, Kim Young-hoon instantly reacts, repelling my attack and launching a counterattack.
'Has he realized acceleration? Then...'
Let's see how much he has grown.
Boom!
I meet him in combat, gradually increasing my speed.
If I fundamentally value technique, Kim Young-hoon values speed.
Therefore, my Severing Mountain Swordsmanship usually focuses on precise techniques, and his Severing Vein Saber Method is quick and agile.
3x acceleration.
Entering acceleration using two Gang Spheres.
Kim Young-hoon also manages to keep up with ease.
Dozens of clashes occur in a moment.
The surroundings become chaotic, not due to Gang Qi, but due to simple shockwaves from our clashes.
I gradually increase my speed even further.
But that was it.
From then on, Kim Young-hoon only confronts my attacks with his innate instincts.
His speed did not increase further.
As a person who specializes in speed, when he lost that advantage, I began to see his weaknesses.
In the midst of dozens of clashes.
Crash
Eventually, I manage to penetrate his defense and successfully plant a palm strike on his chest.
"Cough! Ack.."
Kim Young-hoon chokes and spins in the air before falling.
"Really, your growth rate is astounding."
I had somewhat anticipated that he would reach the Ultimate Pinnacle in such a short time.
But to already be handling two Gang Spheres.
Whoosh!
Kim Young-hoon laughs, emitting Gang Sphere from his consciousness, and his Gang Sphere begins to split into two and rotate.
"Ha ha, in a few years, I’ll surpass you too. Be prepared!"
"Of course, you should. But... how exactly did you split the Gang Sphere, Kim Hyung?"
"Hm?"
Kim Young-hoon looks puzzled at my question.
"Aren't you splitting it too?"
"It seems to me that Kim Hyung and I have not attained the same realization."
"What do you mean? Although everyone's way of obtaining enlightenment in martial arts differs, are you saying the enlightenment itself is different?"
I too float a Gang Sphere and split it into two, just like him.
Then, with demon senses, I rotate the Gang Sphere in perfect sync with the circulation of Yin and Yang of spiritual energy.
If he had obtained the same realization as me, there's no way he wouldn't recognize this rotation.
However, Kim Young-hoon still looks confused.
His expression seems to ask what I expect him to see from the rotating Gang Sphere.
Seeing his expression, I become even more curious.
'What principle did he use to split the Gang Sphere?'
"Kim Hyung. Please tell me. What enlightenment did you achieve?"
***
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