Chapter 158: Hwangbo Hyeji (1)

It was debatable whether this could be called training or being toyed with by sorcery.

Several days had passed since Chunbong and Namgung Suah began suffering under Seojun’s tutelage.

During that time, the Round of 16 concluded.

The list of rising stars who advanced to the top eight was as follows:

Geum Hee

Namgung Suah

Hwangbo Hyeji

Zhuge Hui

Hyeun

Woonbaek

Yang Sohong

Taebyeok

Most were familiar faces.

The unfamiliar name Taebyeok was a rising star from the Zhongnan Sect, and in Seojun’s opinion, quite skilled. Though it was obvious given his advancement to the top eight of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament…

Henan had been quiet since Seojun’s late-night disturbance.

There had been no new incidents occurring since then, but already plenty of events to keep the elders from various sects quite busy.

First, the most important issue was the Great General’s assassination.

The case remained unsolved without any clear progress, serving as a wake-up call for the elders.

Next was the Demonic Cult.

According to news from the Kunlun Sect, the Demonic Cult was steadily becoming more active.

Their movements suggested they might invade the Central Plains entirely, causing the Sixteen Great Sects’ elders headaches with each new report.

Of the remaining minor matters, the most important was deciding the Dragons and Phoenixes’ titles.

Now that the top eight finalized, they needed to determine suitable titles for them which was no easy task.

Too casual was problematic, but overly grandiose was also troublesome. After various opinions were exchanged, it became the tournament’s custom to decide titles only after the finals concluded.

Of course, this didn’t concern Seojun.

His daily routine consisted of skipping meetings to help Chunbong and Namgung Suah train, or refining his own martial arts.

It feels like there’s really not much left.

Unrestrained Realm, Supreme Demonic, or perhaps some other unknown realm.

Seojun had been contemplating lately, already looking beyond the Transendent Realm.

To him, the Unrestrained Realm represented the upper dantian’s full awakening, a state where the mind expands beyond mortal limits.

When the mind outgrows its earthly vessel, practitioners turn to the world itself as their source, drawing essence and qi from creation around them.

That was domain.

The expanded mind claims the surrounding world as essence and qi, making the external realm part of oneself.

In essence, practitioners deliberately disrupt the essence-qi-mind balance achieved in the Transcendent Realm, expanding their mind to achieve harmony with the world itself.

That was the Creation Realm—the Unrestrained Realm.

Thinking this way, the Profound Realm also became somewhat clearer.

The Unrestrained Realm completely opens the upper dantian, causing explosive mental growth. But what if one went further and completely integrated qi and essence into the mind itself?

They would become a divine being.

And when that realm reaches complete maturity, perhaps the path of ascension to immortality would finally reveal itself…

Seojun speculated.

So what more should I do here?

The Transcendent Realm was where mind infused into qi. It was the complete activation of the middle dantian and achieving the balance of essence-qi-mind.

The middle dantian governed qi.

Qi occupied the center, mediating between essence and mind.

The energy from the lower dantian known as essence rose through the conception vessel to reach the mind, while mind’s energy from the upper dantian descended through the governing vessel to nourish the essence.

The middle dantian qi regulated this flowing energy.

Thinking this way, qi cultivation arts were the secret to connecting essence and mind. They were the method of drawing essence upward toward the mind.

That was immortal cultivation.

Of course, this was merely Seojun’s speculation. There were multiple paths to higher realms. He was simply guessing that some might follow this approach.

“Hmm.”

The methods that came to mind were either completely activating the upper dantian or endlessly cultivating qi to draw essence upward…

Perhaps if he could witness the Supreme Demonic realm firsthand, other methods might emerge.

There had to be a reason for distinguishing between Supreme Demonic and Unrestrained Realm.

The conclusion is just to train diligently, I guess.

Having finished his fruitless contemplation, Seojun sighed.

“Maybe I should study techniques more?”

Chunbong, who had been sitting quietly watching him, responded.

“What’s with that?”

“Aren’t techniques closely connected to the upper dantian?”

“I guess?”

“If I study this well, maybe it’ll provide clues to the Unrestrained Realm?”

“May… be?”

As a mere Peak Realm practitioner, Chunbong knew nothing.

That blank expression was adorable.

Grinning, Seojun suddenly ran over and lifted her high.

“Flying Chunbong…!”

“…Sigh.”

Another day passed peacefully.

Namgung Myeong frequently visited the Hwangbo Clan residence to meet with Hwangbo Hyeji.

Though their relationship had become somewhat awkward after his previous remarks, she didn’t refuse his visits.

“Young Lady Hwangbo, I heard you have a match with my sister tomorrow.”

From the quarterfinals onward, brackets were announced in advance.

Hwangbo Hyeji nodded with a complex look on her face.

“Yes… that does seem so.”

“If you give your best, I’m certain there will be good results.”

“Young Expert Namgung…”

Hesitating, Hwangbo Hyeji continued.

“…Who do you think will win?”

It was a difficult question. She knew this.

Since Young Expert Namgung had made things so uncomfortable, she figured she’d earned the right to return the favor.

After that suffocating moment between her and her mother that day, this question couldn’t possibly be worse.

“Do you want an honest answer?”

“Yes.”

“I believe my sister has a higher chance of winning.”

“…I thought so.”

Hwangbo Hyeji was certainly skilled and even among the Sixteen Great Sects’ rising stars, she was above average.

However, Namgung Myeong himself had been among the top contenders, and Namgung Suah had defeated him.

Simply calculating, Hwangbo Hyeji’s chances of beating Namgung Suah weren’t high.

“I don’t know what to tell Mother…”

Hwangbo Hyeji stared blankly at the sky, Namgung Myeong watching her.

She was already envisioning the situation after her defeat.

While smiling gently, he took her hand.

“Young Lady Hwangbo.”

“Y-Yes…?”

“Indeed, my sister has a higher chance of winning, but the one I will be cheering for is you, Young Lady Hwangbo.”

“Shouldn’t you cheer for your sister…?”

“That is true, but… what does it matter? This is what I want to do.”

Though his sister would be disappointed if she heard him, he believed she would understand.

Namgung Myeong gripped her hand slightly tighter. Her eyes trembled upon meeting his gaze.

“However, win or lose, it’s merely the Dragon Phoenix Tournament. There’s no need to be too concerned with victory or defeat. Rushing won’t help you reach higher places, and the efforts you’ve made so far won’t be in vain.”

Namgung Myeong smiled brightly.

“Just give your all in the match. If you do that, I believe you will surely find an answer.”

The quarterfinals of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament.

A match between eight rising stars who would receive Dragon and Phoenix titles.

In some ways, it could be called the true beginning of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament, giving the top eight special significance.

For this reason, and to celebrate the birth of new Dragons and Phoenixes, a senior of the martial world stepped onto the arena.

The one hosting this Dragon Phoenix Tournament, Shaolin Elder Myeonggak.

“Though my skills may be inadequate, I hope the juniors can gain something from watching this old monk’s footsteps.”

After a brief statement, he demonstrated several punches and kicks.

No spectacular explosions of reinforced qi, no flashing elements between dazzling movements.

“It’s probably something… impressive, I guess?”

“I mean he is a Shaolin elder, so probably? I’m not sure though…”

The crowd’s reaction to Myeonggak’s modest demonstration was lukewarm.

But those who recognized the true value of his displayed martial arts felt differently.

Seojun also rubbed his arms as chills ran through them.

So something like that is possible…

They were certainly ordinary punches and kicks, yet there was perfect harmony in the inner qi flowing within those movements. The complete absence of openings in those simple motions indirectly revealed his skill.

You might ask, is that all there is to it?

Well, Seojun sensed it. That this man was in no way inferior to Pae Jingwang.

While he may lack Pae Jingwang’s tremendous might, the few movements honed to the extreme possessed an equal eeriness.

The limits of that martial arts had been stripped down until nothing more could be removed.

Even for himself, who was adept at copying martial arts, he didn’t dare attempt to imitate this. It had nothing to do with profoundness or a high understanding of martial principles.

This was the fruit of his madness.

It wasn’t a realm achievable through simple effort. It was a masterpiece carved by throwing in all of his talent, time, effort, and stubborn determination.

Shaolin’s Myeonggak…

Even after he descended from the arena, Seojun’s eyes remained fixed on the stage.

He’s impressive.

In some ways, wasn’t he a martial artist standing at the complete opposite end from himself?

Himself, who had risen through talent in an instant, and Myeonggak, who had climbed up by carving away at martial arts with obsession and lunacy.

If he ever fought him, winning through tricks would be out of the question.

Breaking through such a refined martial art would be nearly impossible.

Wasn’t this opponent a true test of skill?

“Can you do something like that, old man?”

When he asked Pae Jingwang, the man snorted.

“Could I? I’m too impatient for that stuff.”

“Fair enough.”

“Hmm. That reaction is quite unpleasant.”

In this strange atmosphere, Hwangbo Hyeji stepped onto the arena.

Before ascending, she recalled her mother’s words.

’You can’t be satisfied with just reaching the top eight. You don’t want to be pushed to the background again like last time, do you? Giving your best is fine, but always remember that the world only remembers the victors.’

Her body felt drained. Hwangbo Hyeji firmly held up her sagging shoulders.

I just wanted to hear some encouragement…

The encouragement she’d actually wanted from her mother had come from Young Expert Namgung instead.

She remembered his straightforward gaze. The way he believed in her, telling her to do her best rather than focus on results.

Between her mother’s and Young Expert Namgung’s conflicting words, she was caught in a storm, unable to choose either direction.

“Nice to meet you.”

At Namgung Suah’s voice, she snapped to attention.

“Y-Yes, nice to meet you too…”

“I heard from Myeong.”

“Did you…?”

“Yes I did. He said there’s a very nice young lady.”

Namgung Suah giggled mischievously.

A younger brother’s love life was inevitably an interesting topic for an older sister.

Hwangbo Hyeji didn’t know how to respond and bowed her head deeply.

Namgung Suah said to her.

“Still, I won’t lose, so let’s both do our best.”

“…Yes…”

Hwangbo Hyeji smiled awkwardly.

She couldn’t summon any strength at all.