Chapter 28: Life (3)
My disciples were growing rapidly.
In the sixth year of my hellish training regime, they had grown to mid second-rate.
Ater meeting Kim Young-hoon, I realized something. Handling martial arts ultimately means handling humans, and humans are essentially made of emotions. Since then, significant growth has occurred in me.
'I have discovered a few more intentions.'
Gold joy (喜).
Blood-red anger (怒).
Dark blue sorrow (哀).
Violet pleasure (樂).
Pale pink love (愛).
Dark crimson hatred (惡).
Based on these six intentions, I have been steadily growing.
'How peculiar.'
I thought the realm of Five Energies Converging to the Origin would be the most challenging and treacherous of all realms.
Surprisingly, I found myself progressing sequentially towards the realm of Five Energies.
'Why is that?'
As I walked among my disciples, observing the fabric of their intentions, I felt there were many more colors within humans.
It was just my inability to see beyond, but even that would someday be possible if I continued to train in the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and reflected deeply.
'Why? What makes the realm of Five Energies different from other realms...'
I was pondering this when...
"Instructor Seo. You were here."
An old man of the Jin Clan, at Qi Refining, arrived on a flying device.
He was in charge of the assassination squads, checking on the disciples' progress at regular intervals.
"What brings you here today? It's not your usual visit."
"Hmm, well, the higher-ups of the clan have been hoping to see some results soon."
"Results... you mean?"
He must be talking about deploying them for assassinations.
Hearing this, my face scrunched up.
"That's nonsensical. These kids are only at mid second-rate. Even the Palace Guards are peak masters. They wouldn't stand a chance and would be beheaded before even getting close."
"Hmm, I know. The higher-ups are somewhat aware too. But they don't want to delay any longer. We've been preparing for a time like this."
"Preparing...?"
"Follow me."
I followed him on the flying device to somewhere within the Jin Clan's domain.
That place, a hidden warehouse, had an eerie aura swirling around it.
The old man led me inside the warehouse.
Inside were thousands of crystal balls lined up in rows.
"This is..."
"I've heard that masters of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, like cultivators, have some intuition even if they aren't fully conscious. Do you see it?"
Although I couldn't see it clearly, I noticed strange intents writhing inside the crystal balls.
Dark blue, dark crimson, and bright red hues were swirling around.
"It seems... something is suffering inside."
"Yes. These are the souls of your disciples' families. The remnants collected by us after the Makli Clan's cultivators drained their blood and vitality."
"....!"
The old man caressed a ball and said,
"I've informed all the other instructors teaching different groups. From today, we'll infuse each child with the soul of their kin, forcibly stimulating their upper dantian (in the forehead). This will enable them to fully awaken their talents."
"......"
"Of course, their lifespan will be shortened a bit, and there might be some mental issues, but it's not a major problem. As long as they know who their assassination target is..."
"I refuse."
I glared at him.
"My training methods are sufficient for them to grow stronger. Even if they grow stronger through such external methods, they can't reach the Pinnacle Realm"
"Hmph, I know you train them well. The groups trained by other instructors are barely late third-rate. Still, they can't even match the weakest of the Qi Refining 1st Star.
Rather than that, it's better to use external methods to elevate them to a higher realm sooner!"
"But you said it would cause mental issues and shorten their lifespan."
"Those kids are assassins. They were all warned in advance that while they could avenge their parents, they might die. They don't plan to live long."
I barely restrained myself from punching the cultivator's face.
'Warned those young, ignorant kids and got their consent?'
How absurd is that?
"Is there a risk of death from receiving this treatment?"
"Hahaha, don't worry. Why do you think we went to the trouble of collecting the souls of mortals? They are all souls of their kin. Even if they've become vengeful spirits, they'll recognize their blood, so there won't be any deaths."
"...Understood."
I gritted my teeth inwardly and left the warehouse.
I headed to the training ground and shouted at my disciples.
"Everyone, listen!"
Despite my call, the disciples didn't stop training.
I had instructed them to do so.
They just listened while continuing their training.
But I spoke to them again.
"Stop your training for a moment. I have something important to say."
Then, all the disciples stopped and looked at me.
I relayed to them what I had learned from the assassination overseer.
"...So, you will now receive the souls of your kin to awaken your talents and train for assassination. But!"
I made eye contact with each disciple and continued.
"If anyone does not wish to, I will ensure they don't have to receive a soul. Those who don't want to become assassins, I will negotiate with the cultivator clan to let them out as external forces..."
But before I could finish,
All my disciples answered in unison.
"We don't care when we die if it's for revenge!"
"......"
Blood-red and dark crimson intents burst forth around them.
From every single one of them.
'...Is this really the right thing to do?'
I bit my lip softly.
Their eyes were all bloodshot.
I couldn't understand them.
I never experienced losing someone dear in such a brutal way at a young age.
I couldn't fully understand the depth of their anger and hatred.
I could only confirm that they had anger and hatred.
"...Alright."
I nodded, accepting their will.
"Do as you wish."
There was no one in this place who didn't want revenge.
That night.
Cultivators from the Jin Clan came and took my disciples away.
Even then, no one said they wouldn't receive the souls or gave up on assassination.
Despite explaining the side effects, they were all resolute.
The sun dawned the next day.
"Is everyone alright?"
I looked around and asked.
Their intents seemed a bit more clouded.
"We're fine!!"
In their eyes, there was now a strange madness that hadn't been there before.
I bit my lip softly and resumed training.
Four years passed.
Sshh!
I dodged the hidden weapons flying towards me and exchanged blows with Cheong-ya.
Somewhat matured, she raised red intent, recognizing her own trajectory and reading mine.
Chang, chang, chang!
I deflected her weapons and then pointed my blade at her chin.
"That's enough. Go back in."
"Yes."
She briefly greeted me and returned to her place.
After sparring with the next disciple, I sent them back as well.
In the past four years.
All my disciples had become peak masters.
They had reached a realm I had barely achieved in several lifetimes, but I felt neither admiration nor pride in their advancement.
In exchange for their radical awakening of talents, their lifespan was significantly shortened.
Their lifespan would continue to decrease as long as they harbored souls.
Additionally, their eyes no longer showed any vitality.
Their eyes now flowed with ghostly energy, and sometimes their murderous intent even startled me.
Moreover, I knew their limits even better.
'These kids, in this state, can never go beyond mid-peak. In fact, they won't even realize their intent at mid-peak,'
In short, they could never use sword silk.
I knew.
If these kids infiltrated the Imperial palace, they would be doomed against the Shadow Guards.
'Is it right to send them on assassinations?'
Recently, that thought dominated my mind.
Until now, I had been training them out of slight guilt from my past life.
And the responsibility of being their master.
But now, my thoughts changed.
The more I practiced the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and felt the fabric of intent.
The deeper I delved into Three Flowers, feeling more and more intents.
The longer I spent time with my disciples.
'These children are alive.'
The more I vividly felt the life in my disciples.
Despite the dense ghostly energy and even more intense murderous and poisonous intentions.
Still, Man-ho likes Kae-hwa.
Yeo-lo is happiest when eating dumplings.
Cheong-ya emits happy intent when resting.
Kae-hwa, diligent in martial arts, feels faint joy when praised by me.
Seong-jin remembers his parents when he sees dandelions and becomes sad.
Jin-sam dislikes when I correct his posture.
Hui-a has been yearning for one of the good-looking young masters of the cultivator clan ever since she saw him.
...
All of them are alive.
And I felt like I could never bear to see them die.
"Master, when can we participate in assassinations?"
Man-ho, after finishing sparring with me, asked.
The other disciples also pricked up their ears, curious about my answer.
I smiled wryly and said,
"You'd be severely beaten even by the weakest of the Emperor's guards. Each of the Shadow Guards is equivalent to the head of a major sect or an elder. You are at least one, two, or three levels below them. What nonsense are you spouting regarding assassinations?"
"Umm... But if all 500 of us rush in, it might be worth a try, right...?"
I looked at Man-ho as if he was talking nonsense and said,
"Is it assassination if 500 people rush in? That's a war. The Jin Clan wants to assassinate Makli Jung quickly and silently, not start a war. Why don't we try waging a war without the support of the Jin Clan?"
"Umm..."
He scratched his head with an annoyed look.
I recalled a time when I was in the Shadow Guards and all the members gathered to face a master of Three Flowers.
"The Shadow Guards can eliminate even a master of my level once they pass the test. Stop these pointless thoughts and focus more on your training."
Up until now, the Jin Clan had been sending assassins from other areas to the Imperial family one by one.
Already, these assassins from other areas had surpassed the skills of their martial arts instructors through forced talent awakening using resentful spirits.
But I still hadn't sent any of my disciples for assassination, using their underachievement as an excuse.
However, I knew their skills better than anyone.
These disciples, to whom I had taught all my medical and poison skills, each had the combat power of a mid-level peak master.
If more than five of them attacked together, they could potentially assassinate the Emperor by breaking through the Shadow Guards.
But...
"They can't come back alive."
I wished for my disciples to return alive.
What's the use of killing the Emperor?
The Emperor is a cultivator after all.
Considering the size of his consciousness, he's about a 4th or 5th Star Qi Refining cultivator.
Moreover, like the Crown Prince, he probably has one or two life-saving devices and techniques at his disposal.
Even if two or three of them sacrifice themselves to kill the Emperor, it will certainly cause a significant disturbance, attracting not only the Shadow Guards but also the Emperor's Personal Guards.
Going to kill the Emperor meant, at the same time, going to die.
'If I had this mindset from the beginning, I would have given them maps of the palace and secret passages, prepared all the poison and medicine I could make, and sent them for assassination. Then I would have come to terms with it.'
But now, I can not do that anymore.
Because I realized that these children are alive.
They each have their own life.
A few days later, I headed back to Cheollyung City to keep my appointment with Kim Young-hoon.
"It's been a long time, Eun-hyun."
"It's been a long time, Kim Hyung. It seems your level has risen again."
I said, looking at the sphere of Gang Qi spinning around him.
He had apparently reached a new realm, surpassing Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts.
"Yes, I've successfully reached the stage of using Gang Qi Compression Sphere. Now, there's almost nothing to fear. And you too..."
Kim Young-hoon's eyes sparkled as he looked at me.
"Amazing, you've already mastered six of the Seven Emotions."
"Yes, the progress is surprisingly fast. Of course, it's just six out of the thousands, if not millions, of intent..."
"Hahaha, just six, you say. The Seven Emotions are the most basic intents. Excluding the survival instincts of blue and red, the Seven Emotions are the foundation of intent. From these seven basic intents, human emotions, ranging in the thousands and millions, are formed."
He showed me the flow of his intent, dividing them intricately, as if to explain.
"If you've mastered the six basic intents, you'll continue to discover new shades just by observing the derived intents."
"Hmm... I see. Thank you for the advice. But about the enlightenment in Three Flowers Gather at the Summit..."
I asked him something I was curious about.
"Hmm, you think you're progressing fast?"
"Yes."
"You?"
"...."
I felt somewhat embarrassed by Kim Young-hoon's question, a man who had reached Five Energies from Three Flowers in just five years.
But I nodded.
Considering my talent, I should have been discovering the colors much more slowly.
In fact, at the beginning, I was prepared to go through two or three regressions to reach Five Energies.
It was surprising how fast I was discovering the colors.
"Well... Honestly, I'm not sure if you're fast..."
"...."
"But if you say so, maybe you have a special aptitude for Three Flowers."
I shook my head.
"That doesn't seem right."
I really had no talent for martial arts.
So why am I so suited for Three Flowers?
"Hmm. Indeed, compared to me, you're lacking, but your growth seems a bit faster than other masters of Three Flowers I've seen. Strange. From what I've observed... Enlightenment in Three Flowers tends to favor older people."
"What?"
I asked, slightly surprised.
Age?
"From Three Flowers onwards, not only martial arts but also one's life becomes important. It's a stage where you excavate the Seven Emotions constituting life, and contemplate the millions of intents derived from them. The more experiences and feelings one has from living a long life, the more advantageous it is in the enlightenment of Three Flowers."
"...Huh."
"Actually, I thought that the reason I reached Five Energies from Three Flowers in just five years was because I'm quite old. I was a manager in a major corporation, after all. Thinking back to my younger days when I struggled to save our company..."
Kim Young-hoon seemed to reminisce about his company days for the first time in a while.
Listening to him, I finally understood my enlightenment.
'...It wasn't that I was fast.'
It wasn't that I was fast in observing six intents over ten years.
'It would have been strange if I hadn't realized that much at my age.'
In terms of physical age, I'm 39 years old.
But mentally, I'm as old as Kim Young-hoon's ancestor.
I've lived several different lives over hundreds of years through multiple regressions.
There might be no one older than me in the martial world of Yanguo.
In fact, compared to other masters of Three Flowers, I had a much more advantageous condition, but my talent was so terribly poor that I was only able to achieve enlightenment at this rate.
'...Should I be happy?'
I was in the best condition to gain enlightenment in Three Flowers. Thanks to that, I'm realizing intents and understanding intents faster than ever in my life.
But my talent is so terribly poor that in the same time, when others would have realized thousands or even tens of thousands of intents, I only realized six.
'If Kim Young-hoon had lived the same time as me, he would have moved from Three Flowers to Five Energies in two or three seconds.'
I felt a bit odd.
"...By the way, about the information you've sent me over the past few years..."
Over the past few years, I've been sending Kim Young-hoon information about cultivators while teaching my disciples.
Especially about a few places in the territory of Makli Clan and the places they connect to.
"Thanks to that information, I was able to enter the territory of the Makli Clan."
"Is that so?"
Anger gradually appeared in his eyes.
"They are committing atrocious acts hidden behind a formation in a secret place... They are making elixir out of humans!"
He continued with his angry explanation.
"...So, will you join me in dealing with these atrocious cultivators? Those people, they shouldn't be alive in this world!"
"...Yes, you're right. But... It will be impossible for you alone to kill them all."
"Of course, that's why I'm gathering willing people..."
"That won't be enough."
I looked him in the eye and said,
"Use poison to fight poison. To punish evil, we need to use another evil."
"Hmm...?"
I told him about the Jin Clan.
A cultivating clan opposed to the current Imperial family, Makli Clan.
The previous Imperial family of Yanguo.
A somewhat better cultivating clan than the openly devilish Makli Clan.
"How about reaching out to them?"
"Hmm... Certainly. It's better than challenging them bare-handed..."
He pondered for a moment and then accepted my request.
I headed with Kim Young-hoon to the territory of the Jin Clan.
"Hmm, you seem like a new cultivator. What brings you to the Jin Clan's territory?"
An elderly cultivator from Yanguo, guarding the formation of the Jin Clan's territory, asked Kim Young-hoon.
He must have recognized Kim Young-hoon's consciousness.
"A cultivator... I am a martial artist."
"Hmm...? A martial artist? Stop joking and state your purpose for being in the territory."
Kim Young-hoon calmly explained his purpose, and the old man's face changed to a look of disdain.
"You're really a martial artist, not a cultivator. You seem to have learned martial arts without knowing you were born with spiritual roots. How about joining our clan as an external member?
Without even learning cultivation methods, and not even being a 1st Star Qi Refining cultivator, but having such a large consciousness indicates you have potential..."
"Did you even listen to me? I'm here to stop the wicked deeds of the Makli Clan and join forces with you..."
"Hmph, how do you confront cultivators with mere martial arts? Don't talk nonsense. Think about becoming an external member as I said."
Kim Young-hoon looked at the old cultivator for a moment, then drew his saber from its sheath.
I sighed softly.
'He lost his temper.'
"Ha, put that saber away. The moment you swing it at me, you'll turn to ashes..."
Boom-
Wham!
Kim Young-hoon's action was brief.
He sent his Gang Qi flying towards the formation covering the Jin Clan's territory.
A huge crack appeared in one corner of the formation due to his bundle of Gang Qi.
Seeing this, the old Qi Refining cultivator just opened his mouth in shock and stared.
After that, Kim Young-hoon's demands were easily met.
A Qi Building cultivator from the Jin Clan assessed his strength, and after being beaten up by Kim Young-hoon's Gang Sphere to the point of getting dusty on a rainy day, had to acknowledge his prowess.
In the Jin Clan, Kim Young-hoon was recognized as a cultivator of Qi Building stage in strength.
Having gained the Jin Clan's approval, Kim Young-hoon was recognized as a combatant of the clan, gaining the authority to roam around the territory.
I took Kim Young-hoon to the training grounds where my disciples were.
"These are the kids, Kim Hyung."
"Hmm... Eh? Why do these kids have several souls in one body?"
"That is..."
As I explained about the disciples, a subtle anger appeared in Kim Young-hoon's eyes.
"Honestly, they might seem better than the Makli Clan, but from your explanation, I'm not sure if these guys are really any better. Instead of helping the spirits of the dead rest in peace, they put them into the bodies of their kin, shortening their kin's lifespan?"
"Well, according to them, the spirits can fulfill their grudges through the bodies of their kin."
"Hmph. Nonsense. The dead should entrust their future to the living and rest in peace. This is just another way of desecrating the dead."
"That's right. That's why I brought you here, Kim Hyung."
I looked at the training disciples and asked Kim Young-hoon.
"Could you please help detach the spirits attached to my disciples' bodies, so they can finally go to the afterlife?"
Kim Young-hoon shook his head after looking at my disciples for a while.
"It's going to be tough. With Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts, it's possible to interfere with spirits. Anyone who has reached Five Energies can do it. But... these kids are clinging to the souls of their own family members."
"......"
"They probably don't want to be separated from their families. In this state, it's hard even for my martial arts. The only way is for the kids to let go themselves, or they die and go to the afterlife together."
"I see."
"Or... if there's someone they trust enough to open up their hearts, it might be possible through them. But in this state, even cultivators won't have much of a way. The kids are clinging to their families themselves..."
He clicked his tongue and left, apologizing for not being able to help.
Kim Young-hoon was going to wander the martial world, gathering like-minded peak masters and Three Flower martial artists.
I sat quietly, watching my disciples train.
'I'm sorry, Kim Hyung. I too... can't be of any help to these kids.'
The Jin Clan was starting to put pressure on me.
They were suggesting that it's time to send someone for an assassination attempt.
I proposed sending a group of 20 for the assassination, but it was rejected as being too noisy and unnecessary.
In fact, bringing Kim Young-hoon this time was also a part of getting out of that pressure.
'...I'm sorry.'
There's nothing else I can do.
I quietly closed my eyes while watching the movements of my disciples' intents in the training ground.
Days passed like that.
"What... what's this...!"
I used to give my disciples two days off a month, but after they became peak masters, I let them rest two days every seven weeks.
I hoped they would take a break and live a more human life, especially since they were already tired from the spirits within them.
However, this time on their day off, one of my disciples, Nok-hyeon, left a letter in my quarters and disappeared.
‘‘I can't just keep spending time like this. I'm going to avenge my brother and sister. Even if I die, it doesn't matter. Thank you for everything you taught me.’’
'Damn it...!'
I clenched my teeth and crumpled the letter in my pocket.
"Man-ho! Did you see where Nok-hyeon went?"
I asked Man-ho, the de facto leader of my disciples, about Nok-hyeon's whereabouts.
But Man-ho just kept his mouth shut.
"I'm asking you. Tell me where Nok-hyeon went."
"......"
"Man-ho!"
Then it happened.
"Why are you scolding that kid for no reason? Don't be too harsh."
"...You."
I glared at the old man who had flown in on a flying device, the overseer of the assassin squad.
"The kid volunteered himself. He said he at least wanted to strike the Makli Clan bastards who killed his siblings. I admired his spirit and praised him."
"You egged him on. Didn't I tell you! My disciples are far from ready for assassination! If you must send them, they should go in groups of twenty!"
"The elders of the clan were displeased to hear that there is a group that only trains and never participates in assassinations. We had to send at least one.
As for twenty, that's nonsense. We need to move stealthily. Sending such a large group of assassins would only give the Makli Clan more reason to act."
Clench-
I gathered my weapons, poisons, and hidden weapons.
"Where are you going?"
"Nok-hyeon can't go. He had an accident today and broke both legs. He has no choice but to rest."
Absolutely not.
Without forming a group of at least twenty, it's impossible to penetrate the Shadow Guards.
It's a death sentence.
The old man just looked at me and clicked his tongue, not stopping me.
I followed Nok-hyeon's trail and left the territory.
'He seems to have covered his tracks.'
Apparently, he underestimated my martial arts experience.
Since operating the intelligence organization Gwiyeonggak, covering and tracking trails has been my specialty.
'Dare to move so clumsily in front of me?'
I'm an old martial arts master who has spent over a hundred years in the martial world.
In terms of actual combat experience, even Kim Young-hoon can't raise his head in front of me.
I followed Nok-hyeon's trail, chasing after him.
Crossing mountains and valleys with Mountain Lord’s Soaring Flight, I began to smell Nok-hyeon from afar.
He seemed to have hidden his scent, but hiding it was meaningless against me, who could always maximize my senses.
Swoosh!
As I rushed towards him with the wind, a metal whip suddenly struck through the air.
Three strands of intent emanated from the whip.
Three combo moves.
In a sparring match, I would have adjusted to his rhythm.
But right now, I was not in the mood.
Slash!
With the drawing of my sword, my Sword Gang crystallized on the blade.
My single strike pierced through the gap in his intent and cut his metal whip.
Thud-
"Come out, Nok-hyeon."
Nok-hyeon, who had been hiding in the bushes targeting me, came out after releasing his concealment.
"Where are you going?"
"To kill the trash that devoured my brother and sister."
"To the Imperial Palace?"
He nodded silently.
I clicked my tongue and said,
"With your skills, it's impossible. The Shadow Guards are not a group to be gambled with. Unless twenty of you with good synergy attack together..."
"Twenty aren't necessary."
Nok-hyeon interrupted me.
"With just about nine, we can kill the Emperor. But why do you keep setting such impossible conditions and stop us?"
"Sure, nine of you might be able to threaten the Emperor. But... all of you will die."
"I don't care if we die!!"
His eyes blazed with fury.
"What do you know! Did you watch your family being torn apart right in front of you? Even now in my head, my brother and sister are calling my name!
They say it hurts, that it's agonizing. They beg me to resolve this grudge! You don't know! You don't know this rotten feeling!!!"
Silence fell between us.
We just looked at each other, not exchanging thoughts though intent.
"...I don't know."
"You don't know and yet!"
"What I do know."
I looked him in the eye and said,
"You like Kae-hwa."
"I don't...What?"
"And you dislike Man-ho because he seems to be after Kae-hwa."
Caught off guard by my sudden words, he looked at me blankly.
"You like to eat fiddleheads, hate melons, and don't like watermelons. During breaks, you usually do wood carving. You don't mind when I correct your stance, but you get annoyed when I point out your internal energy flow.
Don't you feel an immense sense of happiness when you train on a winter day and then, after dousing yourself with cold water, take a bath in hot water? You also always feel depressed when you're alone in the toilet."
"...."
"I don't know how rotten you are inside. I can only see through my one-sided perspective. But through my eyes this is who you are."
Nok-hyeon's emotions surged.
His various intents were revealed, showing his emotional state.
"You've lived like this. You're living like this, and you'll continue to live like this. I want you to stay alive."
I adopted a fighting stance.
"Therefore, I cannot let you die. Come at me. If you can last 50 seconds against me without falling, I will let you go."
After biting his lips for a while, Nok-hyeon took out a new weapon from his bosom.
Whoosh!
Our intents intertwined, and a second passed.
And then, my fist plunged straight into his face.
