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"What enlightenment, you ask? Hmm, now that I think about it, reaching the Ultimate Pinnacle is bound to be unique to you and me anyway, so it's hard to put into words."
He seemed puzzled for a moment, then floated the Gang Spheres on his palm and continued.
The two Gang Spheres were endlessly circling each other above his hand.
"First, like you, I infused the Gang Sphere with 'myself', right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Right, by infusing another part of my consciousness into it, the Gang Sphere appears almost like an avatar in the world of intent. It's possible to absorb the Gang Sphere to accelerate thought. You must know this too, since you've split the Gang Sphere... But a person is not made up solely of themselves."
"...?"
'I'm the same up to this point.'But from Kim Young-hoon's next explanation, the differences between us began to emerge.
"A person is completed within relationships with others. Then, the enlightenment of the Gang Sphere must start from the concept of relationships. What is the most precious and valuable relationship to a human?"
Whoosh!
The Gang Spheres on his hand vibrate.
Somehow, I felt as if I could hear a heartbeat from the radiance of those spheres.
"Parents."
There was an indescribable nostalgia on his face as he spoke.
"The most direct cause that brought me into the world... I was born because of my father and mother. I received life from them. I am not just made of myself, but also of my parents."
Whoosh-
As he verbalized his realization, he seemed to gain something more.
Was it from our battle, or from observing the three Gang Spheres still floating above my hand?
The Gang Sphere of this martial deity began to change as well.
"My mother and father met, and they had me..."
Boom!
As the two Gang Spheres rotate, a third one begins to emerge within their rotation.
"As I live my life, I met my wife, and will see my children. Maybe even grandchildren. Among the countless relationships and connections I'll encounter in life...
The most precious ones constitute what I am."
'Ah, I see.'
I interpreted the Gang Sphere through the principle of the Three Talents.
Having worshiped the heavens and learned the demon senses, the presence of heaven and earth is very clear to me.
But Kim Young-hoon's principle seems to be family.
Time and time again.
Whenever Kim Young-hoon reached the Ultimate Pinnacle, he almost always handled nine Gang Spheres.
Maybe it was because he kept thinking of his loved and missed ones...
Crack...
Three Gang Spheres.
An amazing achievement and realization, but Kim Young-hoon clenches his fist, dissolving the Gang Spheres, and presses his fist to his chest.
"...Such martial arts are unnecessary. I just... want to see my family again."
"......"
We both disperse our Gang Spheres and stand silently for a while.
Both of us are lost in thought for a moment.
After a while.
Kim Young-hoon lightens the mood with a bitter smile.
"...Enough of this. What's the use of talking about it here? Sorry. Let's talk about martial arts instead."
He smiles faintly and floats the Gang Sphere again.
"Anyway, I realized that I was constantly interacting with the most important relationships in my life. Then, I thought that the Gang Sphere and intent could also be divided within endless interaction and circulation.
'Endless circulation'. That was the principle I found."
"Is that so..."
I too came out of my thoughts and listened intently to his story.
Endless circulation.
This concept also resonates in the world of Taiji I observed.
After all, the Yin and Yang of the world are constantly circulating and interacting.
Although the direction of our enlightenment was different, there is a common ground.
He focused on the circulation of intent.
I focused on the Taiji of spiritual energy.
But even though there was a common point, our realizations are distinctly different.
Then, perhaps our enlightenments could complement each other?
"Kim Hyung. Now, let me share my enlightenment with you. First... focus your mind and visualize the movement of Yin and Yang in your heart."
"Hmm, done."
"In that state, completely forget the flow of intent and concentrate on the flow of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."
I slowly taught Kim Young-hoon the sensation of Taiji.
The sensation of the demon race, and after a while.
Kim Young-hoon's eyes widened.
"....!!!"
He too entered the same vision as me.
The Yin and Yang flowing throughout heaven and earth.
The endlessly circulating power.
And the Taiji, which is distorted and strangely transformed by the reaction of matter.
Heaven and Earth.
And Man.
Fascinated by the new landscape of all things containing the three principles, Kim Young-hoon gazed vacantly into space for a while as if he had lost his soul.
"Kim Hyung. Are you alright?"
I ask him, seeing that he continued to stare blankly into space.
Normally, if one had just awakened to a new sensation, their head would feel as if it was about to split apart in pain.
However, Kim Young-hoon just blankly nodded his head.
'Even after awakening to a new sensation, he feels no pain? His potential is indeed different from mine.'
It seems he already had some talent for this sensation.
As Kim Young-hoon continued to look into space, three Gang Spheres naturally float around him.
Whoosh!
The three Gang Spheres begin to rotate.
'They have stabilized completely.'
When he first created the third Gang Sphere, it was quite unstable.
But at this moment.
All signs of instability disappeared, and three stable Gang Spheres were just rotating around him.
There is even a hint that the Gang Spheres might split again.
It seems like any moment now, the Gang Spheres could split into four, five, or six.
But then.
"Haah... Haah..."
Kim Young-hoon seemed to come to his senses, panting as he dispersed the three Gang Spheres rotating around him.
He looked extremely surprised.
"That’s it... You realized the principles of Heaven, Earth, and Man in the Taiji of Yin and Yang, not in the circulation of intent."
"...You got it right away. I still don't quite grasp what the circulation of intent is..."
After pondering for a while, Kim Young-hoon, looking at me, spoke.
"No, I don’t think you need to worry about that."
"Yes?"
"The day I first felt the circulation of intent, I vaguely sensed the limits of the Gang Sphere. It might not be precise, but the number of Gang Spheres a human can handle is probably between 8 to 10. That’s probably the limit.
Also, I felt that just deeply exploring the circulation of intent is enough to reach its end. So, you too, if you continuously delve into that... Taiji sensation you realized? You should be able to reach the end as well."
He reaches out towards the circulating Taiji in the sky while invoking the sensation of the ‘Earth’.
Of course, it isn't tangible, so he can't grasp anything.
"8 to 10 is the human limit. Even if we share our enlightenment, it’s not like the number of Gang Spheres will multiply to 81 or something. Even if we have more enlightenment, it’s not as if the Gang Spheres will become stronger..."
"...How do you know that? You haven’t reached that stage yet, Kim Hyung."
Such facts are not recorded in the 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts.'
"It’s the intuition of a genius."
"......"
I have nothing to say.
But since Kim Young-hoon has never been wrong about martial arts, he’s probably right.
'Every cycle, Kim Hyung’s Gang Sphere count ended at 9 because that is the limit of humans.'
The limit of humans.
Hearing that made me feel a bit regretful.
That meant, the end of a martial artist is in the Qi Building stage.
It’s a bit disappointing as a martial artist.
"Anyway, thank you for the great enlightenment. Based on this, I will grow even faster. What you taught me will bring tremendous inspiration."
Inspiration.
The end of a martial artist.
Kim Young-hoon’s words.
And a bit of stubbornness.
I felt these rising in my heart.
"Kim Hyung. If you have inspiration, can you surpass the 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts'?"
"Hmm?"
He frowns.
We had talked about the 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts' when we first met and shared stories for several days.
Kim Young-hoon, who heard my claim that someone had implanted martial arts in my mind, said he had experienced something similar, and we discussed the 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts.'
And now, I was asking him this question.
"Throughout my life, I have experienced many things and thought about the 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts.' I wondered if it's impossible to surpass its secrets, to go beyond the Ultimate Pinnacle. I traveled around, met the demon race, and learned the sensation of Taiji I just showed you from them.
As a result, I came to think that human martial arts were derived from those of the demon race. If you wish, Kim Hyung, I can teach you the demon beast methods I learned and help you research them."
My words continue.
"If I provide you with the enlightenment and information I've gained from my travels... Can you surpass the 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts'?"
The 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts.'
This martial arts scripture, originally known as the 'Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts,' hadn't changed its framework but had only added experiences of trial and error.
Could Kim Young-hoon in this life surpass this 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts'?
From 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' to 'Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts,' and then to 'Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts.'
After three major evolutions, could it evolve once more from the 'Record of Surpassing Path and Martial Arts,' which had only added trial and error?
Kim Young-hoon seems to ponder my question for a while.
"...I can't promise anything. But!"
His eyes shine brightly.
"If, as you say, human martial arts originated from demons, researching the original demon beast methods would be of great help and would significantly reduce trial and error."
"...Is that so?"
Reducing trial and error.
Maybe that would be enough...
"In that case, I will also teach you the details of 'Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation' and the general characteristics of the demon race’s abilities."
From that day, I spent the remaining time teaching Kim Young-hoon the aspects of the 'Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation' and the demon race’s techniques.
It was time.
Time to keep my promise with Seo Ran.
"Kim Hyung. Is there anything you don't understand?"
"No. I've understood everything about the methods, and I will research them to the best of my ability."
"Understood. I believe in you, Kim Hyung."
Kim Young-hoon, after observing the demon beast methods and awakening to their senses, increased the number of Gang Spheres much faster.
Currently, he has a total of 7 Gang Spheres.
He is almost reaching his past life's level.
'Following Kim Hyung’s martial path and raising my martial arts to the extreme of the Ultimate Pinnacle. Through accelerating thought more than tenfold...I will challenge Qi Building.'
Thus, I wished for Kim Young-hoon to rise even faster.
Even higher.
We wished each other good fortune in our martial pursuits and parted ways.
Swoosh!
I flew towards Seo Ran's residence.
It seems he was waiting for me, as Seo Ran immediately showed his head from the sea and greeted me.
"Come on up. I've been waiting."
"Where is this barrier you mentioned, Seo Hyung?"
"Let's head towards the barrier and I'll explain on the way. Oh right. Climb onto my neck. The sea area we are heading to has fierce storms, so it's better to hold on tight."
"Yes."
I climb onto Seo Ran's neck and hold on.
"The barrier I speak of is something even the King secretly asked me to enter. There's something important to our Sea Dragon tribe inside."
"What exactly is surrounded by the barrier?"
Swoosh!
He cuts through the water, swiftly swimming towards a particular spot in the ocean.
In the distance, I begin to see where the currents change dramatically.
They seem to have an eerie ghostly energy.
Far away, dark clouds rumble, darkening the sea.
"A discarded divine object from the 'Black Bone Valley' among the cultivation sects of the human race."
Rumble!
Huge waves are crashing in the distance.
"A battleship said to be able to cross even the realm of the dead. The 'Nether Crossing Ship.'”
We enter the stormy sea area.
***
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