Chapter v16c14

*Endless Delusions*

There are those who live in a world of delusions. They reinterpret everything through their own distorted lens. It’s admirable to have a strong sense of self and to resist the influence of societal norms.

But in their case, their sense of self is unstable, constantly shifting with their emotions and whims. Without a firm foundation, their worldview becomes a chaotic mess. They interpret and judge everything based on their own convenience and benefit, often prioritizing their own desires. It’s a frustrating experience for those who are subjected to their arbitrary interpretations.

Words are twisted, intentions misconstrued, and actions misjudged. It’s a recipe for injustice.

Their common flaw is a lack of objectivity. They refuse to acknowledge anything that contradicts their beliefs. They lack the courage to face themselves. They might think they’re being objective, but their certainty is an illusion. It’s better to be skeptical of one’s own perspective and to strive for a more rational and objective view.

Life is meaningless. Perhaps that’s the greatest gift God has given us. Because the meaning we create becomes the meaning of our lives. But we shouldn’t abuse this gift. Everyone’s world has its own unique meaning. There’s no one-size-fits-all. We can strive for harmony, but we can’t force uniformity. When we meet others, we have to negotiate the meaning of our lives together.

To impose our own meaning, our own world, on others is the greatest sin. It’s an act of invasion.

But sadly, there are far more people who impose their own meaning on others than those who don’t. And among them, Wi Ji-cheon was a particularly egregious offender.

He couldn’t believe that Na Yerin, his goddess, had become close to that worthless insect, Bi Ryu-yeon. He refused to accept it. He feared that acknowledging it would make it real. So he subconsciously decided to ignore their perspectives. It was a brilliant move. He would never be rejected again, at least not in his own mind.

In this state of delusion, even a sincere rejection is interpreted as a form of acceptance. They can twist anything to fit their narrative. Their inability to connect with reality is their defining characteristic. They reinterpret the world through their own lens, and their lens alone.

That was what Wi Ji-cheon did.

His idol, Na Yerin, could never be interested in someone so lowly and unknown. It was an undeniable truth, at least in his mind. Their closeness was an illusion. He couldn’t see any value in Bi Ryu-yeon. The possibility that Na Yerin might see something he couldn’t was conveniently ignored. This self-deception required countless repetitions of these assumptions and denials. And of course, it was all based on the unshakeable belief that his own perspective was the absolute truth.

He thought, *She’s mistaken. She’s been deceived by that cunning bastard. He must have used some kind of drug or spell.* He had no proof, but he was certain. It was his intuition. He trusted his intuition more than any evidence. It was more comforting.

He was righteously indignant.

*How dare he use such cowardly tactics on my goddess…!* The heavens were outraged. The righteous heavens were surely angered by this injustice. Someone had to uphold justice. He looked around, but there was no one. Ah, he was the only one who could carry out divine retribution. He had been chosen.

Bi Ryu-yeon was evil, a blight on the world. He had to be eliminated. He would bring nothing but disaster if he was allowed to live.

He wasn’t doing this out of jealousy. He was acting on behalf of the heavens. He didn’t need to ask the heavens for confirmation. He was certain that this was their will. He had reached a clear conclusion. Yes! The heavens had spoken. There was no time for hesitation. He had to eradicate evil. He was carrying out divine punishment.

This was divine retribution, the judgment of heaven.

He was a righteous warrior, an agent of heaven.

He had been born into a prestigious family, raised in comfort and privilege. He had never experienced hardship or questioned his own beliefs.

Yes! He had only one mission.

To right the wrongs.

To eliminate the unworthy.

But he lacked the power. He had failed repeatedly. But…

Someone knew he needed power. He had offered his help when he needed it most.

*Knock, and the door will be opened! See! Even the heavens are helping me!*

*The heavens have sent their messenger to aid me. I have nothing to fear. Justice is on my side. I will carry out the will of heaven.*

*Empty Vessel*

– The One Principle, Many Manifestations –

Wi Ji-cheon stared at the blood-red pill in his hand, the Blood Explosion Pill. It was wrapped in red paper, its contents radiating an ominous red aura, as if it were made from congealed blood.

‘External attacks are strong, but internal attacks are weak. You’ll know how to use this pill.’

The masked man had said those words when he gave him the pill. And he did know how to use it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have volunteered to be behind Bi Ryu-yeon.

‘The effects of this pill manifest in three stages. In the third stage, you’ll feel an immense surge of Qi within you. It’s said to feel like your life force is being consumed. Be careful. If you can’t control it, you might die.’

The masked man’s words echoed in his ears.

*It’s too late to back out now. I have a mission to fulfill!*

He had crossed the point of no return. He was the chosen one, tasked with carrying out divine retribution. He used self-deception and delusion to overcome his fear.

*Alright!*

He closed his eyes and swallowed the pill. He felt a burning sensation in his stomach, as if a ball of fire had exploded within him. A wave of killing intent washed over him. Perhaps it was a side effect of the pill, but he didn’t care. His dantian, his energy center, was overflowing with power. He felt invincible, like a god.

“Hahaha! This is just the first stage!”

He felt strong enough to crush Bi Ryu-yeon with his bare hands.

“Bi Ryu-yeon, you bastard! You’re dead! I’ll punish you in the name of heaven!”

“Alright, let’s get ready.”

“Yeah!”

They responded to Bi Ryu-yeon’s call.

The order was: Bi Ryu-yeon, Wi Ji-cheon, Oh Bi-wan, Jang Hong, Hyo-ryong, Yoon Jun-ho, Na Yerin, Gyo-ok, and Yi Jin-seol. The women were in the back because it was safer. No one objected.

“Be careful, Ryu-yeon!” Hyo-ryong whispered, his face still etched with worry.

“Don’t worry! It’ll be fine!”

Wi Ji-cheon, who had excused himself earlier, was approaching them. His already unpleasant face was even more repulsive now, twisted by a strange smile and a glint in his eye.

“Alright, Group 7! Begin!”

The four-lined Law Enforcer gave the signal, and the trial began.

The key to combining internal energies was to control the flow of Qi, to gather it and release it at the right moment. The most important factor was the ability to control multiple streams of Qi with different characteristics. That was why the first position, the conduit, was the most crucial.

The combined power wasn’t always equal to the sum of its parts. The skill of the conduit could make a huge difference.

In that sense, Bi Ryu-yeon was exceeding expectations. He had been gathering Qi for over half an hour, showing no signs of releasing it. It wasn’t easy, considering the constant influx of Qi from behind him. The most surprised person was Wi Ji-cheon. He had been pouring his Qi into Bi Ryu-yeon’s dantian. The amount of Qi flowing through him was immense. But Bi Ryu-yeon was handling it with ease.

*This is impossible!*

He couldn’t accept that Bi Ryu-yeon’s Qi control was superior to his.

*Alright, then!*

The second stage of the Blood Explosion Pill was kicking in. He felt a surge of power, as if his dantian was generating an endless supply of Qi. His face and body flushed red.

*No matter how large your vessel is, it has a limit! Let’s see who wins!*

He forced his Qi into Bi Ryu-yeon’s body, making it more volatile. It was like a raging river, difficult to control.

*Wait a minute…*

Oh Bi-wan, standing behind Wi Ji-cheon, sensed something was wrong. Wi Ji-cheon’s Qi felt strange. And his body was turning red!

The amount of Qi flowing through him was already immense, but the amount flowing into Bi Ryu-yeon was unimaginable.

*This is dangerous! Something’s going to happen! It’s been over half an hour! He needs to release it! His body can’t handle it anymore! He’s going to be crippled!*

Sweat dripped down his face, his neck and armpits soaked. His anxiety made it harder to control his own Qi. He felt a surge of power within him.

*Damn it! Focus! Focus!*

He couldn’t afford to lose control. They would all be in danger.

*I have to trust him!*

There was nothing he could do. It was too late to stop now. Interrupting the flow of Qi could cause Qi Deviation for all of them. He couldn’t risk it.

*He’s tenacious!*

Wi Ji-cheon was getting impatient. He was still holding on! But he could feel Bi Ryu-yeon’s body trembling slightly.

*I knew it! He’s reaching his limit. But can he control the wild horses of Qi rampaging within him? Come on, release it! That’s when I’ll strike.*

The moment of release was the most dangerous, the most vulnerable. It was also the moment when the most damage could be inflicted. Wi Ji-cheon was waiting for that moment. He would block Bi Ryu-yeon’s meridians, trapping the Qi within him. The uncontrolled Qi would have nowhere to go, and then… boom! It would be over. But even if that didn’t happen, the volatile Qi would ravage his body.

*You’re finished, Bi Ryu-yeon! There’s nowhere left to run!*

He gritted his teeth and poured more Qi into Bi Ryu-yeon’s body. Bi Ryu-yeon’s body shook violently, and sweat dripped down his forehead.

“What’s going on?”

The crowd murmured, their eyes fixed on Group 7.

*What are they doing? How can they generate so much power?*

The pressure emanating from Group 7 was immense, far greater than any of the previous groups. Only Group 1 came close.

“This is bad…” Qing Hen muttered, his face grim.

“You think so too?” Baek Mu-yeong, the Literary Sword, asked, approaching him.

“Yes! And something’s wrong with Cheon-a!”

“I know… I feel it too… Hmm!”

Their eyes widened in shock.

Pop!

A thick, blue vein bulged on Wi Ji-cheon’s temple. And then another, and another. They spread across his face like spiderwebs, a horrifying sight. They pulsed ominously, as if about to burst.

“What’s happening, Mu-yeong?”

“I don’t know! I might have to retire my title of Earth Dragon today. I have a very bad feeling about this!”

Boom!

Something exploded within Wi Ji-cheon. It felt like his life force was being consumed, as the masked man had warned. It was as if he was drawing on his deepest reserves of energy, even his prenatal Qi.

“Argh!”

He screamed, unable to contain his pain. It was taboo to open your mouth while circulating Qi, but he couldn’t help it.

An immense surge of Qi, fueled by his life force, flooded Bi Ryu-yeon’s body. Bi Ryu-yeon staggered, his mind reeling.

‘Ryu-yeon, what do you think is the ideal state for receiving Qi?’

‘I don’t know…’

He had hesitated when his master asked him that question.

‘Let me rephrase the question. Even the largest vessel has a limit. Do you want to be a limited vessel?’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Not only is it undesirable, but you can’t master the Flying Thunder Daggers if you limit yourself. We don’t train to be confined by limitations. That’s why disciples of the Flying Thunder Sect must train to become ‘no vessel.”

It was a matter of pride to avoid saying “I don’t know” again. He racked his brain for an answer.

‘To become ‘no vessel’ means to break free from limitations, to transcend the form of a vessel. Does that mean I have to become formless?’

‘You’re halfway there. But how can you become formless? Your limbs, your senses, they’re all part of your form. Are you going to get rid of them?’

‘No, I don’t want to do that. Hmm… Does it mean emptying my mind?’

‘You’re halfway there again!’

‘Half and half makes a whole, doesn’t it?’

Smack!

He clutched his forehead.

“Ouch! You hit me again!” He pouted.

“Do two broken plates make a whole plate? What will you use to join them? You need a connection point, a common ground.’

‘A connection point?’ He rubbed the bump on his forehead.

‘Yes, a connection point! It’s like a thread that can string together scattered pearls. It’s a single principle that can unify all truths.’

‘Just tell me the answer.” He said, getting impatient.

‘You have to become an ’empty vessel.”

‘An empty… what?’

‘An empty vessel. It means to empty yourself, to become like the void.’

‘That’s what I said before!’

‘Wrong!’

‘By a hair?’

‘In the realm of truth, that’s a world of difference!’

*’The void isn’t empty. It’s because it’s empty that it can become anything. It doesn’t matter what it is, what properties it has. All things originate from the one… Qi is the same!’*

*’That’s what he said!’*

No matter how different they seemed, they all originated from a single principle. By understanding this principle, he could unify everything. The crucible of the void could accept anything, melt it down, and forge it into one.

Empty vessel…

It was infinite because it was empty. It was impermanent because it was empty. He emptied himself, transforming his inner microcosm into the void. The universe was originally void, but humans had forgotten this truth and confined themselves within limitations. By realizing this, he could return to the void.

Eight streams of Qi, each with different characteristics, flowed into his body. His body, now an empty vessel, didn’t need to resist. The Qi flowed into the empty space, like rivers merging into an ocean. The eight streams of Qi, absorbed like souls drawn into the abyss, harmonized within him. But then, one of the streams went berserk, trying to destroy him from within. The wild dragon rampaged, but it couldn’t destroy what didn’t exist. In the end, even the wild dragon became one with the others.

Nine streams of power, harmonized as one, erupted from his body.

A blinding light, like the radiance of a thousand suns, emanated from him. But there was no sound, only a great stillness.

“Huh? What was that?” Ma Ha-ryeong, the Iron Orchid, blinked, her voice filled with wonder.

“I don’t know… Did I just dream?” Yong Cheon-myeong, standing beside her, was equally baffled.

The warm, comforting light faded, and the crowd blinked, as if waking from a dream. The sudden silence was so profound that it felt unreal. Was it always this blissful to dwell in stillness? They wondered, their minds still hazy. They wanted to experience it again.

“Oh, right! The result! What happened?”

Ma Ha-ryeong, remembering the trial, turned to Group 7. She disliked one of the men in that group. But they looked just as dazed as the rest of the crowd, their hands no longer touching each other’s backs.

What about the rock? She looked at the rock . Her eyes widened.

“Hahahahahaha!”

She burst into laughter, a genuine, unrestrained laughter that echoed through the mountains. Yong Cheon-myeong cringed.

“Hahaha! Look at that! It’s intact! Completely intact!”

She doubled over, clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her face. Group 7 stared at the rock, equally dumbfounded. How was this possible? The rock was smooth and flawless, without a single crack.

“Hahaha, they’re in last place! Dead last! They couldn’t even make a dent!”

She was ecstatic. It seemed like this fiasco had lifted her spirits.

But Bi Ryu-yeon didn’t seem to hear her. He was still dazed, as if he had just woken up from a dream. What was that feeling? It was as if his inner world and the outer world had switched places for a moment…

It wasn’t a dream. It had really happened.

He stared at his hands, then reached out towards the black, polished rock face. Ma Ha-ryeong was still laughing in the distance. The others joined in, the laughter spreading like ink on rice paper. But Bi Ryu-yeon didn’t hear them. He was too preoccupied with what had just happened.

Tap!

His fingertip touched the rock.

The laughter died down, and silence returned. No one spoke. He stared at the rock, his eyes unfocused. Everyone stared.

The rock face crumbled before their eyes, as if it were made of sand, dissolving into dust and collapsing like a sandcastle. It was like a mirage.

And behind it, a giant cave, at least five zhang in diameter, appeared.

No one spoke.

Thud!

Ma Ha-ryeong was the first to break the silence.

She collapsed, her legs giving way.

Wi Ji-cheon also collapsed, unable to stand.

His hair was white, as if it had been burned to ashes. It was a side effect of releasing too much Qi. His skin was dry and withered, like tree bark. He looked nothing like the man he had been before the trial. He was lucky to be alive. Perhaps his survival was related to the mysterious phenomenon Bi Ryu-yeon had displayed. But he didn’t care anymore.

*I failed… I failed again!*

That was the only thought in his mind. He had no strength left to get up. He was an empty shell, a burnt-out husk of his former self. He was no longer Wi Ji-cheon. He was just a pile of ashes. No one approached him, no one offered to help him up. Bi Ryu-yeon stared at him for a moment, then walked towards him.

He placed his hand on Wi Ji-cheon’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, his voice soft and gentle.

“It’s a shame. You almost achieved your goal. What did you pay for it? Your soul?”

Wi Ji-cheon’s body stiffened. His face was pale and rigid, as if it were made of plaster.

“I wonder if you have anything left to pay. Be careful. You might end up with nothing. Remember, you can’t gain everything by losing everything.”

Wi Ji-cheon bit his lip, suppressing a groan. He trembled, trying to contain his rage.

The Water and Fire Trial was over.

And Group 7 had taken first place.