Багана (1)

Kim Young-hoon and I step forward at the same time.

Simultaneously, we enter a frozen world.

I unleash my full power without any intention of holding back.

'If I think of Jang Ik's avatar, I cannot afford to relax.'

For ordinary cultivators of the Heaven and Earth Tribes,

Even if they create avatars or externalized spirits, their realm is always lower than the main body, and the power they can exert is significantly reduced.

However, it's different for members of the Heart Tribe.'The only difference lies in the magnitude of power. The techniques and realm accessible are identical to those of the original body.'

If there is any difference, it would only be in the magnitude of power and the endurance due to the presence or absence of a physical body.

In other words, the Kim Young-hoon before me is no different from the real Kim Young-hoon in a short-term battle.

'A short-term battle is sufficient.'

Smirking, I grip my sword and accelerate my consciousness.

The reach of my consciousness, spanning two hundred li, is endlessly accelerated by my Formless Sword.

At the same time, I achieve Lightning Speed due to Tribulating Heavens.

This vast consciousness is further accelerated.

The pure speed of this Heavenly Tribulation-like Tribulating Heavens is enough to keep up with Jeon Myeong-hoon.

With the acceleration of my consciousness added, I feel as fast as to consider Jeon Myeong-hoon trivial.

We almost simultaneously enter the frozen world and thrust our swords and sabers towards each other.

The next moment.

Pabatt!

"...???"

I suddenly realize that my body has been struck by eight slashes.

In an instant, eight vital points have been cut.

I continuously accelerate my consciousness.

My brain overheats.

Finally, I became aware of Kim Young-hoon above me, brandishing his saber downwards towards me.

Pabatt!

In the realm of extreme speed, I maneuver my body and thrust my sword.

Paang!

But Kim Young-hoon evades in an instant again.

'Insane.'

Even though I accelerated my mind to near-stillness and gained speed close to lightning with Tribulating Heavens, I am barely keeping up through instincts.

I can't even follow him with my eyes!

My Formless Sword tries to capture him, changing infinitely, but the difference in speed is so great that it feels like all possibilities are blocked.

'He's fast.'

If we were to fight seriously, Ascension Path could collapse, so Kim Young-hoon and I are currently fighting with our powers limited to the Core Formation stage.

Yet, even with our powers restricted, our speeds are beyond what that level could possibly follow.

Flash!

Suddenly, Kim Young-hoon who had been sending saber strikes from in front of me appears to my right, enveloped in the Surpassing Radiant Saber, and kicks with a speed transcending lightning.

Whoosh!

I think I have been slashed at from the side, but suddenly, I am flying far away at an unimaginable velocity.

Whoosh!

In this still world, I am moving so fast it is hard to regain my senses.

'Crazy.'

One kick had sent me from the center of Ascension Path all the way to the Heaven-Treading Desert.

Flash!

Before I can think further, Kim Young-hoon appears above me once more, ready to strike down vertically with his Surpassing Radiant Saber.

I chuckle wryly.

Yes, indeed, I cannot even follow his heels with pure martial prowess.

Then...

[Here I come.]

I communicate through heart language, drawing upon the power of demon beast methods.

Kugugugu!

Heaven and Earth spiritual energy fortifies my body.

My vitality surges, and the potential of my flesh soars immensely.

Simultaneously, my upper, middle, and lower dantians are filled and strengthened with life force.

The overheated upper dantian quickly stabilizes due to this enhancement.

I have some leeway now.

Yet, even with the added power of demon beast methods, I continue to accelerate my mind even more.

To the utmost, burn it to the limit!

It feels as if time is being split even further.

Together with this, I gradually begin to 'catch up' to the speed of the golden-clad Kim Young-hoon moving within this frozen world.

[Hmm.]

Kim Young-hoon smiles slightly in surprise in the halted realm.

Is it my imagination?

Or is it because I have entered too deeply into this still space.

It feels as if the surroundings are darkening.

In this world, only Kim Young-hoon and I have any color.

[Are you following me?]

Paang!

We exchange clashes of sword and saber.

Rays clashing with rays.

Our arms seem to split into thousands, and the colorless and golden rays collide wildly in the darkness of stillness.

'It's working!'

I grin, exhilarated.

'I'm keeping up!'

Before I knew it, we had already exchanged tens of thousands of strikes.

Kugugugu!

With each strike exchanged in this extremely rapid world, shockwaves flurry in all directions, stirring up storms throughout the Heaven-Treading Desert.

At the center of the chaos, he and I clash at a speed reminiscent of light.

With every movement we make, the sand melts into glass.

The vicinity of our battlefield quickly turns into a sea of molten glass.

My body heats up so intensely that it seems to melt like water, and I step on this sea of molten glass, locking eyes with Kim Young-hoon.

My body heats to a glowing red, and as I step on the sea of molten glass, akin to water, I lock eyes with Kim Young-hoon.

[If this continues, I will win.]

If I can just keep this up for a day, I can defeat Kim Young-hoon.

Because I am confident that in that time, I can completely exhaust the energy in Kim Young-hoon's avatar.

Of course, I feel that using a slightly more powerful technique would push him even further.

Just when I think so.

[Very well.]

Within the darkness of the stopped world, Kim Young-hoon, wrapped in golden radiance, smiles.

Kuung!

He is struck by my attack and crashes into the sea of glass.

While flying, he changes his posture and seizes the Starting Form, and in the next moment.

He sends me a heart language.

[Then, Seo Eun-hyun.]

Cheolkeok!

With the Heavenly Being's foresight of celestial energy.

The short-term insight of the demon beast methods.

And the sixth sense of seeing intent as a Heart Tribe member.

I see the future of being sliced up just before my death.

[From now on, I will begin to accelerate.]

'What?'

So, was that just now.

The pure capability of Surpassing Radiant Saber without acceleration?

The next moment.

Pukk!

I feel a golden saber entering through my unintentionally opened mouth.

The Surpassing Radiant Saber doesn't stop. It continues into my mouth, severs my spine, and protrudes out the back of my head.

It doesn't end there.

Golden lines begin to embed themselves all over my body.

'I must, must counter…'

Preparing to be sliced up into a Seo Eun-hyun without substance, I try to swing my Colorless Glass Sword at him.

But in an instant.

Flash!

"…!???"

Before I can even realize what is happening,

Kim Young-hoon's strong grip has seized my face and is flying somewhere.

Behind his grip, a trail of golden light stretches out straight.

The next moment.

Boom!

With a tremendous explosion, I crash into [somewhere].

Splurt!

I feel as though my entire body will explode, gushing blood from various places like a fountain.

'This, this is…. where am I?'

The western end!

Beyond Shattered Heaven Peak, the [World's End] I once visited with Buk Hyang-hwa.

'Insane…'

I inwardly chuckle in disbelief, realizing I had gone from the center of the Heaven-Treading Desert to the edge of the world without even noticing.

―――――!

Even sound couldn't catch up to Kim Young-hoon's saber strikes.

I feel countless golden flashes slaughtering my whole body amassed at World's End.

Certainly, I had entered the stopped world too.

I had increased the potential of my flesh with demon beast methods, and there, I accelerated my consciousness of the Heavenly Being stage to the brink of bursting.

The typical consciousness radius of a Heavenly Being stage cultivator is one hundred li.

Mine has a radius of two hundred li.

The consciousnesses of Five Energies Converging to the Origin and Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, Heaven Tribe, and Earth Tribe, all overlapping, make the size of my consciousness absurdly huge compared to those of equal rank.

Yet, even accelerating to the point of burning intensity, I am struggling to even follow Kim Young-hoon's heels.

If this continues like this, I won't be able to keep up.

If that's the case, it can't be helped.

'Demon beast methods felt like martial arts because they are the power of the body, but regrettably, I must resort to using spell techniques as well.'

I begin to draw upon the power of the Heaven Tribe too.

―――――!

Kim Young-hoon, emitting golden radiance from his eyes, launches thousands of slashes at Seo Eun-hyun in the darkness.

'Even Cheongmun Ryeong didn't die despite being sliced several times during his Core Formation days, but how many times must I cut down Seo Eun-hyun at the Heavenly Being stage? It's hard to even guess.'

He intended to stop his slashes once the regeneration slowed.

However, as if he became undying, the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy from the surroundings automatically flowed into Seo Eun-hyun's body, replenishing his vitality.

As long as Heaven and Earth spiritual energy exists here, the person before him is essentially undying.

So, how can he possibly kill this undying body?

Kim Young-hoon's conclusion is simple.

'I just need to keep slashing until every last strand of the local Heaven and Earth spiritual energy is swept away by the aftermath of my slashes!'

――――!

Each time he swings the Surpassing Radiant Saber, shockwaves belatedly explode, causing natural disasters and burning the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth.

If there is no Heaven and Earth spiritual energy left for Seo Eun-hyun to use for regeneration, then victory will undoubtedly be Kim Young-hoon's!

It's when he thought so.

Paaaaaatt!

Seo Eun-hyun's entire body is enveloped in a brilliant white light.

'Flying Escape Technique?'

Kim Young-hoon smirks.

It's a spell used by Core Formation cultivators when they need to move long distances or increase their speed in combat.

Primarily, it involves elevating the flow of spiritual energy etched in the Golden Core, so it's more of a unique capability of Core Formation cultivators than a spell technique.

That is the Flying Escape Technique.

But Kim Young-hoon is not worried.

'At best, it's clumsy. The Flying Escape Technique of Core Formation cultivators can never catch up to me. Even if it's a Heavenly Being cultivator's Flying Escape Technique...'

Kim Young-hoon, lifting the Surpassing Radiant Saber, chuckles in the enveloped darkness.

And in a flash.

Wo-woong!

Through the tip of the Surpassing Radiant Saber, Seo Eun-hyun's Tribulating Heavens.

The intent of the Formless Sword is heard.

―Cut.

It's a voice he would have ignored just moments ago.

However, Kim Young-hoon suddenly feels a chill down his spine.

'This is dangerous.'

Almost instinctively, he steps back.

With one step backwards, he and the Surpassing Radiant Saber instantly move 800 li away in the frozen darkness.

However, Kim Young-hoon's golden pupils shrink tightly in the next moment.

"What!?"

Seo Eun-hyun had followed.

Using the Flying Escape Technique, demon beast methods, and Tribulating Heavens,

Accelerating to the extreme, the white light-clothed Seo Eun-hyun swings his sword at the golden-clad Kim Young-hoon.

Kim Young-hoon grins, staring straight at the sword strike flying towards him from Seo Eun-hyun.

'A direct hit will annihilate the avatar!'

Kim Young-hoon's avatar has the same power as the original body in a short-term fight.

In other words, the current Seo Eun-hyun is capable of exchanging blows on equal footing with the real Kim Young-hoon.

'But he's still a bit slower compared to me.'

Kim Young-hoon faces Seo Eun-hyun's sword with his Surpassing Radiant Saber, dispersing and diverting the force of the strike.

'Even a dodge will lead to annihilation. I need to deflect and neutralize the energy.'

The force it carries is palpable.

Just the shockwave alone will certainly leave his whole body tingling...

"Keok!!! Keh-ugh..."

The next moment, Kim Young-hoon spits out a clump of golden light with a hollow laugh.

Just as Kim Young-hoon had impaled Seo Eun-hyun at the western end.

Under Seo Eun-hyun's strike, Kim Young-hoon was impaled at the northern end.

Beyond the northern plains.

'Just now, the avatar was almost annihilated.'

Kim Young-hoon gathers his energy, salvaging his nearly shattered avatar while lifting the Surpassing Radiant Saber.

Seo Eun-hyun is not as fast as Kim Young-hoon. Hence, even though he had sent Kim Young-hoon flying, he still hasn't caught up to him completely.

'But a proper hit and it's over.'

Kim Young-hoon laughs, sweating coldly.

The laughter continues incessantly.

He is exhilarated.

He feels like he might go mad with joy!

'Was the last time I felt this thrilled since Baduk, when I faced the Mad Man Cheongmun Ryeong at the Nascent Soul stage, and when I faced the Buk Hyang Fleet?'

"Haha..."

Do you know the saying that boredom drives a person mad?

That is precisely the state Kim Young-hoon is in right now.

Flash!

A brilliant white light streaks across towards the northern end.

Bo-oong!

Within the swarm of white light, a formless slash stretches out long, aiming directly at Kim Young-hoon.

Kim Young-hoon quickly dodges the sword strike.

Kuaaaaang!!!

Where he had been standing.

At the northern end of the world, the World Shield Force craters in, and part of the dimensional barrier tears open.

'The dimensional barrier that the main body had to join forces with the Buk Hyang Fleet to tear apart at full strength...'

Kim Young-hoon locks eyes with Seo Eun-hyun, who had torn open the dimensions barrier with the Three Great Ultimates behind his head.

"Ha, haha... The full force of the original body..."

Kim Young-hoon is sweating coldly, and at the same time, he feels a chilling and exhilarating delirium about to drive him insane.

"To you, is it just a 'simple' strike?"

Seo Eun-hyun silently spreads his hands.

Around him, 3,000 Colorless Glass Swords arise, and the Formless Sword interweaves these glass swords.

Paatt!

He swings the Surpassing Radiant Saber without giving Seo Eun-hyun a chance to react.

As Seo Eun-hyun, enveloped in the Formless Sword, waves his hand, the slash from the Surpassing Radiant Saber is deflected, and 3,000 Colorless Glass Swords rain down on the spot Kim Young-hoon had been.

Piiiing!

Seo Eun-hyun opens a sword formation.

Within the sword formation, the sword energy amplifies, and he begins to exude an ominous and chilling intent.

Kugugugu!

Leaving behind the dimensional barrier that is automatically restoring itself due to the world's regenerative power,

Seo Eun-hyun exchanges glances with Kim Young-hoon, his eyes flickering wildly.

Both are madmen.

'Still, I am three moves ahead.'

Kim Young-hoon grins.

Seo Eun-hyun hasn't yet fully adapted to Kim Young-hoon's speed.

He still has the upper hand in speed when facing Seo Eun-hyun.

And.

'That should be enough.'

Kim Young-hoon holds the Surpassing Radiant Saber and smiles.

His mind whirls furiously, analyzing Seo Eun-hyun's movements.

He reads his purpose (意).

Linking situation to situation, he begins to combine martial arts appropriate for the moment.

'Ah...'

Why is it?

Facing Kim Young-hoon, I realize that he is 'creating' a martial art right now.

'How do I know that?'

No matter how much I read his intent or heart essence,

I can only guess about the opponent's 'state' and 'background.'

I can't know everything about the opponent.

There is no way to know what he is thinking right at this moment.

However, somehow I feel that Kim Young-hoon is creating a martial art.

And I seem to know 'what' martial art he is creating.

'Ah...'

Paanng!

Within the sword formation, I compress the Formless Sword into a thread and swing Guiding to the Summit at Kim Young-hoon.

Seeing the technique, Kim Young-hoon flinches slightly, then steps forward with his right foot, cutting through Guiding to the Summit with three slashes and takes the Starting Form.

'Ahhh…!'

I read Kim Young-hoon's 'intention' while continuing to exchange blows with him.

I can feel it.

'What' martial art he is trying to create.

'What intention' he has and 'how' he is creating 'what' martial art.

I think I know!

I realize how this can be possible.

The fourth sense I had recently begun to feel.

Slightly different from the Heart Tribe's vision, but very similar and complementary to it.

This sense is informing me.

Paang!

Sparks fly in my mind.

In my head, the martial art Kim Young-hoon is trying to create starts to be 'predicted'.

I 'predict' what Kim Young-hoon is creating and, before he can execute the martial art, I think of the perfect countermeasure.

And then, as I feign attacking him with my intent, when he actually uses that martial art, I counter it.

Kim Young-hoon then instantly creates a counter-countermeasure in response and retaliates against me.

Even with my senses, I can't follow if he again creates a counter-countermeasure and retaliates against me.

However,

Paang, Paaaang!

With a feeling of sparks flying in my head, I realize something.

"Ah…"

I understand what I have realized.

At the same time, I also finally understand the identity of the fourth sense I had been experiencing up to now.

While performing a horizontal slash at Kim Young-hoon and simultaneously changing my footwork from the lower right to upper left,

Facing his Surpassing Radiant Saber with my Colorless Glass Swords, I exchange what can only be described as [dialogue] with him.

Yes.

This is [dialogue].

At the same time, it is a game of Go (棋).

My 'intention' and Kim Young-hoon's 'intention' intertwine, engaging each other in conversation.

'So, that's it…'

All this time, this is the world Kim Young-hoon had been living in.

At some point, I completely synchronize with Kim Young-hoon, countering the martial arts he creates with my martial prowess, breaking down his moves and countering the counters.

Paang!

In the frozen world, we prepare our decisive strikes to unleash on each other.

But at the last moment.

Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Saber accelerates, and my sword does not.

Paang!

Finally, the halted world is released.

Our duel has ended.

"…Ah…"

Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Saber is at my neck, and my Formless Sword hangs downward.

However, Kim Young-hoon just smiles silently.

Szzzzz

The golden energy flowing through his worn saber disperses.

"…I have lost."

Kim Young-hoon verbally admits his defeat.

"At the last moment, if you had swung your sword, your head would have flown off, but my body would have exploded into mush. You can regenerate your head, but if my body explodes, that's the end for me, so it's my loss."

"Heh…"

I re-sheath my Colorless Glass Sword into my Golden Core while raising my hand.

And then I wipe my eyes.

Kim Young-hoon looks at me and grins.

"Brilliant. You see and hear the same things I do!"

"…So it seems. You have been living in such a world."

I sit down abruptly.

Tears wouldn't stop.

Not swinging my sword at Kim Young-hoon wasn't due to any sentimental reason.

If anything, had I stopped my sword out of a notion of consideration, Kim Young-hoon would have been furious.

The reason I couldn't swing my sword was that I was overwhelmed by burgeoning emotions.

Today, I understood the identity of the fourth sense.

The sense I had recently begun to awaken,

Is 'the same' as Kim Young-hoon's.

A perception belonging to the same category as 'Kim Young-hoon's talent'!

I had died seventeen times.

Living for 2,500 years, since reaching first-rate, I have never been without a sword.

Martial arts (武) had become my life.

And now, I have finally blossomed the talent that Kim Young-hoon possessed.

It is still incomparable to Kim Young-hoon, as if not even worthy to be dust under his feet.

Kim Young-hoon's sense reaches beyond the heavens.

If his talent feels connected to 'somewhere,' directly receiving creativity from 'somewhere', my talent is akin to water droplets falling drop by drop.

A stalagmite built upon those water droplets.

Even that is minuscule, no larger than a fingernail. To reach beyond the heavens like him, not just a thousand but perhaps a hundred billion years might be needed.

However, what matters is that it blossomed from barren ground.

Currently, merely recognizing intentions is all I can manage.

But if this sense reaches the heavens, combining and deconstructing intentions and creating martial arts in real-time just like Kim Young-hoon might be within my grasp.

Martial arts are my life.

And the martial arts I have diligently practiced have never betrayed me.