전생검신 80권 3화

As Shim Su-ryeok slowly made his way to the training ground, he commented, “Wuwei? Have you come to a realization or something?”

“I thought I had realized something in the past,” I replied calmly.

“However, I merely mistook the feeling of it being pounded into my body as true understanding. I must find its real meaning again.”

“…… Deep stuff. But somehow, I think I understand what you’re pursuing.”

“Really?”

“I also know what you were worried about in the end.”

Shim Su-ryeok turned his gaze toward the distant mountains and said, “I’ll practice separately. Actually, new martial arts techniques have come to mind as my memories return, and I want to try training those again.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. Let’s meet later then.”

“Alright then…”

Whoosh!

As Shim Su-ryeok vanished, I sighed.

“Haah.”

I’ve got a direction, but can I actually pull this off?

‘Wuwei (無爲) is the foundation of Wuwei Transformation (無爲轉變). Wuwei Transformation is about converting the martial energy gathered in the Six Ultimate Techniques into Taiji. Thus, it’s a principle of annihilating all ‘strength’…’

While pondering the principle of Wuwei, it became clear what obstacles I faced.

‘It’s not just about counteracting martial energy with Taiji; Wuwei encompasses a much deeper meaning.’

It wasn’t that the Great Master Jang Sam-bong only applied Wuwei that way; rather, the ultimate result of applying Wuwei was the Peerless Technique. For some reason, I understood that difference very well, thanks to my experience as a practitioner of the Peerless Technique.

The reason I thought there was a clue in Wuwei was that during my aimless practice of the Six Harmonies Sword Technique, I had been contemplating what ‘freedom’ truly meant.

Proving that swinging the Six Harmonies Sword Technique with no thoughts led to garbage results was a lesson learned through experimentation. Could it be that thoughtlessness and meaninglessness qualify as freedom?

‘To put it broadly, both thoughtlessness and meaninglessness can be considered freedom. But they’re not true freedom. Because… even if I think I am acting without thought, that meaningless swordplay is still deeply entangled in my heart.’

In that moment, I swiftly drew my sword and, mindlessly, executed the first strike.

Slice!

The emerald sword energy trembled through the air, creating an impressive flash as if a mighty sword dance was drawn in the void. Having mastered the Thunder God Sword Dance now, I could unleash the world’s greatest fast sword even without thinking. Yet, I knew even this thoughtless first strike wasn’t free.

A memory of what Asura said about the Infinite Slash came flooding back.

[So simple. It’s so simple that I just glanced at the records of the Reborn Expert and learned the Infinite Slash without any difference from how you practice it.]

[Just one thorough strike, stronger than trivial techniques. But its subtlety is severely lacking, and most importantly, since it’s done without thought, your Infinite Slash varies from moment to moment. Its power is unstable, so your sword path can only simplify, leading to various ways to nullify the Infinite Slash as long as you avoid a frontal confrontation.]

Back then, I simply understood what Asura had said with my mind, but now I grasp the real meaning behind his words.

“It’s true thoughtlessness, but not the real thoughtlessness.”

Though Asura hadn’t said it directly, it was likely that what he wanted to convey was that I mistook my lack of thought for actual thoughtlessness.

Should I call that my ‘heart’?

It’s so trivial that even calling it a heart feels excessive; it’s an unpredictable point flowing from deep within my unconscious. Asura could read even this tiny flicker, allowing him to predict my Infinite Slash and block it. It was practically foreseeing the future, but he was merely inferring the whole from seeing a small part.

Normally, there wouldn’t be a reason to dwell on these things. It’s unlikely to encounter someone who can understand even this minor unconscious preference. Unless you’re a madman like the top Demon King, who has sacrificed all power and spent millennia practicing sword techniques, no one can reach that level.

The reason Asura pointed out the weakness in the Infinite Slash is precisely this.

As a Reborn Person, I will eventually encounter a master at Asura’s level in my lifetime, and I must defeat them.

Usually, martial artists, or even the Master of the White Lotus Sect, wouldn’t need to worry about such a thing, but for me, it’s a future I must contemplate. Asura must have had concerns that without overcoming this, I couldn’t reach the Divine Realm.

And at that time, Asura had already provided me with an answer.

[You must achieve uniformity even in your unconscious preference.]

[You need to be able to distribute ten or more sword styles evenly within yourself.]

I had simply interpreted Asura’s words as the need for uniformity in sword styles, leading me to train the rudimentary Six Harmonies Sword Technique, the most basic form. And I wasted years.

“Ugh.”

At that moment, my face turned bright red, and out of embarrassment, I kicked the ground hard.

Boom!!!

The weighty impact of my unintentional Ground-impact Technique shattered the training ground and caused an earthquake, but I couldn’t care less. All I wanted was to crawl into a mouse hole.

“Am I really that stupid?!”

I interpreted it wrong.

What Asura meant by uniformity was to reach a level where I could control my unconscious!

Focusing solely on the uniformity of sword styles while mindlessly wielding the subpar Six Harmonies Sword Technique wasn’t training; it was merely play!

In hindsight, what Asura meant by uniformity was likely Wuwei as described by Great Master Jang Sam-bong.

‘… Wuwei is also emptiness.’

Asura’s claim regarding sword styles’ uniformity.

The Peerless Technique and Wuwei Transformation conceived by Great Master Jang Sam-bong.

These concepts fundamentally rely on emptiness.

While cultivating emptiness in the Reverse Root Water Mirror world, I realized the principle behind all martial arts sects is in fact targeting a single point. Had I not explored the Reverse Root Water Mirror world, I wouldn’t have realized even that clue.

Wuwei is considered emptiness for one simple reason.

‘Using Wuwei to transform into Wuwei Transformation and, in turn, expressing the Peerless Technique as Taiji… It’s the same as saying the martial energy of the Six Ultimate Techniques is turned into emptiness.’

Although there is a unique enlightenment in the form of Taiji introduced by Great Master Jang Sam-bong, the point remains that turning ‘strength’ back into the realm of nothingness is also the basis of the Wuwei Transformation—rooted in emptiness.

I recalled something Great Master Jang Sam-bong had once said to me.

[To put it simply, I impressed upon you the completed form of the Peerless Technique. Before diving into unconsciousness, you need to have last representation your consciousness can look at; otherwise, you won’t be able to realize it safely without entering the Heart Demon.]

Great Master Jang Sam-bong impressing upon me the completed form of the Peerless Technique meant to focus solely on that form and discard everything else. It was to concentrate on just one representation that consciousness could perceive and turn everything else into emptiness.

The process of training is emptiness, and the results of the training are emptiness.

Whether intentional or not, Great Master Jang Sam-bong reached the most fundamental principle of nothingness through the Peerless Technique.

‘Then… I understood Wuwei Transformation but didn’t fully grasp it. My Heart, Qi, Body Harmony reached emptiness forcibly, but my heart has not truly embodied Wuwei. The reason my Peerless Technique sometimes shines and other times falls flat is precisely this.’

Whenever my heart stabilizes, my Peerless Technique performs remarkably well, but otherwise, it is easily countered, unlike how Jang Sam-bong executed it. The Heart, Qi, Body Harmony needed to become one, but I occasionally couldn’t shake the fear of dying each time the Peerless Technique failed or fully transcend the chaotic thoughts as mentioned by Master Jang.

That’s why embracing Wuwei once more truly becomes a path toward progress for me.

If I can fully realize Wuwei and elevate my sword style to the emptiness level of the Peerless Technique?

Isn’t that the level Asura aimed for me to reach through the uniformity of sword styles?

If I can achieve that, I will definitely control even my unconsciousness to reach the level of a superhuman!

“……”

I organized my realization while drowning in contemplation.

‘But how can I manifest Wuwei in my sword?’

When executing the Peerless Technique, I could certainly feel the martial energy of the Six Ultimate Techniques throughout my body and blend it with Taiji. Given that the Peerless Technique is a completed and intricate limb of martial arts, no alternative application comes to mind. If I try to concentrate on embodying Wuwei while clumsily wielding my sword, it’ll only result in pushing out the Peerless Technique.

The state of pure blending, where every martial expression unifies and unconsciousness becomes uniform!

After transcending that state, I’m sure I’ll reach the level of understanding Asura was talking about.

To achieve that, I’ll need a different approach than the Peerless Technique, but I can’t quite figure out what it is.

“Hmm…”

Seated, I delved deep. This is something even a genius wouldn’t be able to just provide an answer to, so it’s a problem I must resolve myself. While pondering, I shook my head and muttered.

“Let’s first see what I can actually do. I’m no genius, so there’s no way something will suddenly come to mind.”

I decided to check if Asura’s notion of uniformity existed in the sword styles I was developing.

Swish!

I arranged all the sword techniques of the Thunder God Lineage in sequence, effortlessly generating the sword styles one after another. Perhaps it was due to the long training, but I had reduced the awkwardness that plagued me in my initial attempts. However, while it wasn’t perfect, it didn’t lack cohesion, either, and all the techniques flowed together as smoothly as I hoped.

“Honestly, I’ve wasted time training the Six Harmonies Sword Technique.”

Truth be told, watching Jin So-cheong practice Ranna Chul sparked my desire to strengthen myself through basic forms as she did. But alas, I’m not Jin So-cheong; I can’t become the strongest through just basic techniques.

‘So, how about I try Ranna Chul this time around?’

Since I had plenty of time, I tossed my sword to the ground and drew a spear to execute Ranna Chul.

Whoooosh!

Incredibly smooth and soft. With inspiration striking me, I decided to showcase every Thunder God spear technique I knew one after another. As an expert in spear techniques, I had no trouble executing these moves.

Swish, swish, swish!

Suddenly, a memory popped into my mind.

‘Merging the Six Harmonies of spear techniques into one. There’s supposed to be an extreme of thrusting that condenses the process from one peak to six directions…’

The pinnacle of Thunder God spear techniques that Jin So-cheong had spoken of.

Though it may not yet be complete, I imagined that once accomplished, it would surpass even the limit of the Thunder God Sword Dance.

The temporary technique I whimsically dubbed “Six Heaven Unity Spear” only popped into my head while facing Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen. I had never even seen the real Jin So-cheong reach that level! It was a bit embarrassing to have concocted a technique on my own.

Clash!

‘Let’s see.’

Focused and light, I rhythmically unleashed the essence of the Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear, moving as if the spear became one with my body. Unbeknownst to me, I began to flawlessly execute the principles of one thrust, two advances, three spreads, four entangles, five grips, and six strikes.

In truth, it sounded harder than it was: the first thrust simply meant an attack, the second advance utilized steps to overpower the distance, and the three spreads merely meant executing three quick strikes.

‘The fourth thrust involves rotating the spear, the fifth wraps, and the sixth plunges… It’s just what I always do in real combat.’

Spear techniques emphasize maximizing practical ‘benefits’ over the flowery sounds common in Daoist martial arts, so my transitions were free of fluff.

Yet, the moment I entered the second advance, I experienced a bizarre euphoria.

‘Huh?’

It felt as if my form had split into six.

In the darkness, I appeared to fragment into six clones, each executing one of the principles from one thrust to six strikes, with one of them being the true me. Even though this couldn’t possibly be real, in my mind’s eye, it felt like I was simultaneously executing six strikes in the same time and space.

Thrust!

And as the six ‘me’s thrust their spears forward, I realized they were all converging on a single point. Seemingly entranced, I poured all my energy into that singular target, feeling it swell and surge as if it were about to explode like the sun.

Creeeak!

Accompanied by a sound akin to a door’s hinge breaking, the power condensed into a single point began to emit a strange haze. Just as I feared it might dissipate, in the next moment, my spear exploded, and I felt my body thrown back by the massive shock.

……!!

Enveloped in radiant energy, I felt skin tearing from my body, and while my Protection Energy Technique was initiated in haste, it turned into ragged cloth almost instantly. Battling with thoughts of utilizing divine power to survive seemed cowardly, and that split second of hesitation heralded my demise.

*

“……”

“The Reborn Expert hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Ugh, huff, huff…”

I was sitting across from Mephistopheles, drenched in sweat as if it were raining.

I buried my head into the table and muttered.

“… It was the opposite…”

“What do you mean by the opposite?”

“……”

“If you have no comments, I will proceed with resurrection.”

With Mephistopheles’s gestures, I felt my body slowly coming back to life.

‘It’s the opposite.’

Now I finally understand.

The ultimate form of the Thunder God spear technique lies… within the Peerless Technique and the great balance.