전생검신 89권 07화

I left the place where Lee Gang-ryong was and headed to the training spot I used to frequent. Knowing I would probably train here again before meeting Lee Gang-ryong, the area was still crawling with demon beasts born from my magical power, and I slowly walked into that demon realm.

Kieeeek

Chwak

I slashed apart the tree-type demon beasts rushing at me in one go with my Thunder Sword, thinking,

“Hmm… How am I supposed to use the Sephiroth and Heavenly Flower Thunder Dragon Divine Arts together?”

Honestly, I felt I could fight those demon beasts just fine with my martial arts skills for now, so I didn’t really see the need. But now I was supposed to mix that unfamiliar field of Sephiroth and magic into the mix. If it weren’t for Lee Gang-ryong’s advice, I wouldn’t have even thought of such a training method.

After contemplating for a while, I murmured,

“First, I need to polish the basics of Sephiroth to use them together.”

For now, I could only use my Setsu for impromptu spell casting, which wasn’t truly an authentic Sephiroth magic. Without mastering the proper basics of traditional magic and learning how to utilize it, I couldn’t even start on the training method Lee Gang-ryong suggested.

Tydaht

Having that thought, I entered the heart of the forest and found a deep cave. I quickly unleashed my strong Qi and wiped out all nearby demon beasts before entering the cave and starting my meditation.

“Let’s review the knowledge I have about Sephiroth…”

I recalled one key point about the characteristics of Sephiroth.

[Since it’s a power much like the Eight Extraordinary Vessels, you, being an expert in Qi techniques, should be able to quickly grasp the Setsu. Have you heard that Zhuge Sect learned magic by training their martial arts for that very reason?]

According to Cheon Woo-jin, the Setsu flowing through my body was nearly indistinguishable from the Eight Extraordinary Vessels. In fact, moving the Setsu felt almost identical, so although I didn’t know the proper operation methods, I could handle impromptu blocking of parasitic infections. That’s because I was already an expert in Qi techniques, and controlling the flow of Qi was my specialty.

And that led me to a realization.

“If that’s the case, can’t I operate this Setsu similarly to how I would with Internal Energy Cultivation Techniques?”

The difference lay only in that the Eight Extraordinary Vessels are the pathways for Qi, while Setsu is the pathway for the World Tree’s magical power. I slowly expanded my thinking.

“I’ve never operated Setsu like an Internal Energy Cultivation Technique. But if I’m going to, I should at least try the Three-Refinements Heart Technique first.”

The most basic and stable Qi technique in the Jianghu!

I began to slowly operate the Internal Energy Cultivation Technique and started to elevate the power of Setsu vertically. As Setsu began to ripple and gradually moved the magical power at my will, I eventually completed a full cycle without any issues.

Wooong

After finishing a round of internal power training, a bluish light radiated from my entire body, emitting a wondrous glow. Reflecting on that process, I thought,

“This is quite fascinating. The Qi doesn’t move at all, yet the magical power moves as if it were Qi. And instead of accumulating internal power, I’m accumulating magical power…!!”

Wasn’t this practically the same as the Internal Energy Cultivation Technique for just accumulating magical power?

Incredible, the Qi and magical power didn’t clash at all. No, even if I deliberately tried to make them collide, it felt impossible. While repeating the Three-Refinements Heart Technique for a bit, I began to understand why this strange sensation was happening.

“The Qi flows through the same place as the Eight Extraordinary Vessels, but the magical power flows through a different dimension. Hmm… Is this what they call a different dimension?”

If Qi flowed closely intertwined with the body, then magical power flowed gently from another dimension. To put it simply, it was like two roads forming completely different parallel lines with their heights diverging. Unless I deliberately tried to meld Qi and magical power together, I shouldn’t have to worry about them crashing.

Of course, that seemed natural. If Qi and magical power clashed, how could Zhuge Clan train their martial arts? It looked like there were no special restrictions on acquiring skills in that regard.

After applying the Setsu’s magical power like the Three-Refinements Heart Technique a few more times, I suddenly felt a peculiar phenomenon occurring.

Chiiiii…

It felt like smoke was flowing from my body, and a soft mist-like spirit energy began to emanate from me. I realized this spirit energy was a raw mass of [power], probably a result of the magical power I’d been stacking.

Oooooo…

The spirit hovered around me for a while before gradually coalescing into a circular shape. It drew larger outside my body and, as it minimized, it eventually shrank to a small circle in my solar plexus.

Then, with a zing-like sensation, my whole body trembled, and I could feel a small pearl forming inside me.

“Hmm!”

What is this? I get that the Qi has compressed into a pearl, but did something really physical just manifest in my body?

I tilted my head, unsure of what that meant. Honestly, I’d never properly learned about Sephiroth. Cheon Woo-jin had only half-heartedly taught me the basics of Setsu, and Zhuge Clan had not learned Sephiroth but rather the Soul Exchange Technique. The attack magic used by Zhuge Sect wasn’t inherited from proper Sephiroth either; it was probably self-constructed based on Zhuge’s genius and the knowledge gleaned from some other grimoires in the dark realm.

“Had I known this would happen, I should have consulted Lee Gang-ryong about the training methods for Sephiroth too…”

I sighed weakly, shaking my head again.

No matter what, I couldn’t entirely rely on him. If, having plotted various plans, I couldn’t get through this, how would I face even greater hardships ahead? I resolved to find out the training methods for Sephiroth by my own determination.

I first attempted to move the small pearl formed by my solar plexus outside. At that, the pearl obediently rolled along the pathways of my blood vessels and eventually perched at the tip of my finger before popping out. I squinted at this pearl; surprisingly, it was a dense, foggy, round mass of energy. I let out a sound of disbelief.

“Hmm.”

Isn’t this what it feels like to visualize the Qi ball one forms while practicing Qi techniques?

The more I looked, the more it resembled Qi, and I started to feel confused. After a moment, I shook off this round mass at my fingertip.

Degurur…

As soon as I did, the round energy glowed and transformed into physical matter, becoming a round pearl. Picking it up and observing it for a moment, I soon realized something.

“What is this? It’s not a magical power mass.”

I thought the pearl would naturally be a collection of magical power produced as a result of my training, but unexpectedly it didn’t feel magical at all. Its composition was entirely unknown and just felt smooth. It had a weirdly soft texture, making it impossible for me to figure out its identity.

“……”

What am I supposed to do with this pearl?

After pondering for a moment, I cleared my mind.

“Whatever, can’t toss it away; I might as well eat it.”

Gulp

I swallowed the pearl. Moments later, I felt it vibrate and rush back to where my solar plexus had been, and I suddenly sensed the magical power surging through my body.

Tsuwaaaah!!

“Uh… huh?!”

At the same time, the pearl shattered and melted, and I felt Setsu wildly beating throughout my entire body. Suddenly a boiling sensation arose, and despite my panic, I soon realized what was happening.

“My vitality… is growing stronger!”

The Setsu itself was pulsating like it was alive, simply because strong nutrients were being supplied!

While Setsu pulsed, a sudden vision flashed in my mind.

“……!!”

An absolutely gigantic tree that seemed to extend infinitely!

I stood at the very base of that tree, feeling minuscule compared to it, smaller than an ant in comparison. In fact, my existence could only be described as being infinitesimal. Its size seemed to far exceed that of a planet. It was a strangely mystical plant far from anything I had ever seen before.

At the base of this tree, I could see the circular marks engraved one by one along the trunk, and I understood clearly that the Setsu I possessed had originated from this tree.

Flash

I abruptly returned from the vision to reality and realized what I had just seen.

“The Tree of Sephiroth… The Kabbalah’s Tree of Life, and the World Tree…!!”

An entity not existing within this world but in the outer cosmos!

The World Tree with infinite magical power and the source of Sephiroth!

For a brief moment, because Setsu had provided me with abundant magical power, it seemed I momentarily connected my consciousness to that [source]—the World Tree. At that moment, I understood precisely what Sephiroth magic was.

“Oh, I see!! I can summon the magical power of the World Tree using this Setsu, but… I can also send my own magical power to the World Tree!”

What I just did was create magical power using Setsu and then [fed] that magical power to the World Tree!

And due to the numerous Setsu granted to me by Cheon Woo-jin, it seemed I easily connected my mind to the World Tree.

“If so… Was the circular mark I saw earlier the Sephira, the realm of high magic?”

I instinctively understood the training process for Sephiroth magic.

Though I was a novice, by climbing the tree I’d eventually reach the top, and when I arrived at those circular marks—the Sephira—my magical level would increase.

In other words, the act of climbing the tree itself is the training for Sephiroth magic!

Having grasped the essence, I dove deep in thought.

“Hmm. So if I train in a more advanced Internal Energy Cultivation Technique to build up magical power rapidly, then send it back to Sephiroth… can I climb the tree?”

That wasn’t entirely certain. I had no idea what the specific method for climbing the tree was. Instead, I revisited my thoughts on the pearl I just created.

“The pearl had no magical power… but when I ingested it, the Setsu spread throughout my entire body with vitality… That means…”

Wasn’t the pearl essentially the vitality itself?

“If so, did I just refine magical power to create vitality…?”

I felt I was on the verge of understanding the relationship between Sephiroth and Setsu. Since Sephiroth already held infinite magical power, it shouldn’t require any further magical supply.

Thus, what I transmitted to Sephiroth was actually not magical power but vitality instead.

If this hypothesis is accurate, then I could interpret Sephiroth as valuing vitality over magical power!

“……”

I needed more supporting evidence to back up my thoughts.

“So, if I can smoothly use the Three-Refinements Heart Technique with Setsu, should I try a more advanced Internal Energy Cultivation Technique now?”

This time, I attempted to perform the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique through Setsu. It was a top-tier technique far more powerful than the Three-Refinements Heart Technique and much more efficient at accumulating internal power. As I began to move the magical power alongside the somewhat complex flow of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels, it poured through my body like a river.

Tsu tsu tsu tsu

The magical power surged even more violently than before, and suddenly, I felt a ringing sensation echoing through my head. It was like a fresh new space was expanding inside my brain! It felt as if my realm of thought was suddenly broadening, which surprised me.

“Huh?! What’s this…?”

It felt like the magical power itself was expanding my mental world. I momentarily went through confusion, finally recognizing what was happening.

“…… Upper Dantian! The magical power from Setsu is directly affecting my Upper Dantian!”

Considering magic operates similarly to martial arts techniques, which focus on the Upper Dantian, this was no surprise. Perhaps, magicians refine their abilities through this repetitive process, honing their skills. Instead of pain, it felt like an indirect experience of ecstasy, making it bearable.

Boom!

Once again, mist-like spirit energy created a round Qi mass, quickly shrinking to form another pearl inside me. This time, I didn’t bother moving the pearl outside and started to repeat the cycle of the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique.

“Internal power training is originally about repetition, as long as the stamina supports it. Let’s see what happens if I keep stacking pearls.”

Woom woom woom woom

I could feel the process of spirit energy flowing out and creating pearls repeating continuously. During this, after several instances, my perception training expanded significantly, allowing me to vividly feel all the plants and creatures within a hundred-meter radius. Moreover, I sensed the nearby demon beasts lurking around—they were curiously hesitant, inching back as if sensing danger.

I quickly figured out why the demon beasts were moving away from me.

“As the spirit energy deepens, it releases a more profound energy. The demon beasts are instinctively retreating due to the ominous aura.”

I’d intentionally restrained my divine power and internal strength, not exuding that level of pressure. This meant the energy I was currently cultivating through Setsu possessed enough strength to dominate the Forest’s demon beasts. With my eyes half-open, I delved deeper into my training, losing track of just how much time passed.

…

Woo woo woo woo…

Before I knew it, there were nearly six pearls gathered in my solar plexus. At that moment, I noticed the pearls began to merge into one massive entity. As the pearls condensed, I could feel their impact on my body.

“Uh-oh… I have a feeling… if I keep accumulating pearls, I won’t be able to control them…”

Trusting my instincts, I decided to stop collecting pearls. I then prompted the formation of a pearl again at the tip of my finger. Noticing the newly formed pearl was somewhat reddish, I went ahead and swallowed it once more.

Gulp

Fwoosh!!

At that moment, I once again saw the vision of the tree. Right before me, a gigantic trunk shot up from the ground, lifting me upward.

“Oh?”

So that’s how you climb the tree?

As I marveled at the process, I suddenly found myself at a considerable height. I noticed a circular emblem engraved right in front of me, and my hand instinctively reached out towards it.

Pa-at!

As my hand touched that emblem, I found myself standing in a vast circular realm. Strange metaphysical symbols filled the sky above me, and a snake watched me intently from across.

…a snake?

I felt neither goodwill nor malice from that snake. It felt more like a pure, featureless white. As I too gazed quietly at the certain ethereal presence, I sensed the essence of [will] approaching me.

[Welcome to the first Sephira, Malkuth, practitioner of Kabbalah.]

I unconsciously replied,

“Malkuth? Who are you?”

[……!!]

The snake seemed taken aback, recoiling in surprise before elongating its neck to scrutinize me closer.

[I never thought someone with a mortal body would dare speak within the Sephira… You’ve already obtained a great spiritual essence. This has never happened since the creation of Sephiroth!!]

“No, I’m asking who you are.”

[In the endless time, who would have thought I would have to introduce myself…? I am the Seraphim, the Burning Snake.]

Whoosh

As the Seraphim finished its introduction, multiple flames flickered into being around me. Glancing at them, the Seraphim spoke.

[Every being challenging the Kabbalah possesses an inner flame that can reach the Ain Soph. In the human world, they commonly refer to it as a soul.]

“Hmm.”

[However, as you climb this tree, numerous trials lie ahead, and the power of that soul will dwindle easily… I, Seraphim, share additional soul power to those practitioners who reach Malkuth, ensuring they don’t give up easily.]

“Huh? Wait a minute…”

[Here, receive the flame of the soul.]

Whoosh!!

Suddenly, the flames surrounding me lunged toward me all at once.

“Huh!”

Peerless Technique!

Tydaht

Unconsciously attuning to the flow of the divine realm, I used the Peerless Technique to repel all the flames.

[……]

“……”

The Burning Snake appeared quite flabbergasted.

[That you could repel the flames I bestow is one thing, but why did you repel them?]

I scratched my head sheepishly.

“Well, the flames were coming at me, so I was surprised… I reacted defensively.”

[They are not an attack, so relax and accept them.]

“Will it hurt?”

[It might be a bit painful, as it is merely a test of the practitioner’s inner self. But once you withstand the agony of your soul burning, significant spiritual advancement will ensue!]

Whoosh!!

As the flames surged back towards me, I concentrated intensely again and unleashed the Peerless Technique.

Tydaht

[……]

“……”

A brief uncomfortable silence ensued, and I spoke awkwardly.

“I just feel like I didn’t have to deal with that…”