Bam!

I came to my senses and stood up in a pool of blood. The amount of blood lost was so overwhelming that I questioned whether it was even mine. For a brief moment, I was stunned, but then I used my divine power to eliminate the blood pool and sat back down.

“I will keep training!!”

I never imagined that I would die from walking fire entering demon right from my first try, yet I still believe this is the right path!

If the energy expenditure was too great earlier, this time I should try slowing down the rotation a bit.

Whoooosh—

As I entered the fourth transformation again, the rotation and acceleration were significantly reduced compared to before. But after some time, I noticed my body covered in red streaks again. I sensed I was going to die and quickly triggered my internal energy.

Boom!

Raising my internal energy to the very bottom and unleashing it in one shot caused a shockwave that not only destroyed the training ground I was sitting on but also the entire Azure Dragon Martial Arts School building. Yet I still had energy left, creating a storm in nature and releasing a whirlwind that shot hundreds of meters into the sky.

“Rreeeee… Ugh!!”

Thud.

Thanks to triggering all my true potential, I barely saved my life. However, I couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed forward, my consciousness dimming at the edge of life and death.

‘Ah… no… this insane energy consumption… I can’t endure this!!’

Earlier, I thought I had been ambushed by walking fire entering demon, but through this attempt, I’ve realized for certain. The moment I transition to the fourth change, I surpass the limits of what I can handle as a human, making it impossible to even attempt.

I lay on the ground for a long time, spitting blood, finally managed to collect myself, gasping as I stood up. Since I had activated walking fire entering demon so early, I’d have to rest at least a few days to recover. At that moment, a thought struck me.

‘Right… I can recover immediately using divine power…’

Could I avoid wasting training time for a few days and just recover immediately?

No… not just now but during the training of the Soul of the Four Gods, if I used divine power at the fourth change, I wouldn’t need to recover my strength at all! I could overcome walking fire entering demon right away!

The unexpectedly simple solution filled me with excitement. If only I used divine power, all my current bottlenecks would be resolved. Wouldn’t I achieve results and elevate my realm without wasting several years digging around?

“…”

However, I paused and sat cross-legged to heal my internal injuries. Even if it wouldn’t recover as quickly as using divine power, I could still reduce a few days of recovery time to just two or three breaths.

‘I won’t rely on divine power.’

Using God’s power should not be the answer to this problem.

No one had explicitly said that, but for some inexplicable reason, I decided to refuse to use divine power. Because relying on a deceptive force to cover my human limitation does not sit right with me.

No… worse than that is that it leads me to find the “easy way.”

If I don’t overcome this desire to take shortcuts, I will never make a step forward in the training of the Soul of the Four Gods!

I felt an urgent crisis and restored my body before diving back into the training of the Soul of the Four Gods. And I wracked my brain.

‘How can I overcome the overwhelming energy consumption of the fourth rotation without using divine power?’

I felt I was on the right track. There exists another realm beyond the fourth rotation where the energy consumption suddenly spikes. So, I need to find a way to handle the insane energy consumption that seems to transcend my internal energy and intent without resorting to tricks.

“Ugh…”

Is there even a way to achieve that?

I spent several days without sleep, continuously pondering but found no viable solution. This was because the energy consumption was simply insurmountable for a human. My internal energy had already reached the limits of what a human could possess, and my absolute realm’s intent had developed through numerous battles to match that of other absolute masters. To suddenly multiply this by several folds was utterly unrealistic.

Thoughts continued to swirl. During all this time, I had not practiced martial arts at all, and it felt like a whole month had gone by in the blink of an eye. I sat in meditation, deep in thought, and finally sighed.

“Damn it. I can’t help it… let’s just do it!!”

I decided to minimize the rotation as much as I could and see if I could somehow surpass the fourth rotation!

Whoooosh—

“Cough! Cough!!”

Whoooosh—

“Urgh… huff…….”

…….

After dozens of attempts, I vomited blood repeatedly for hundreds of days. And finally, after exceeding a hundred failed attempts, I lay on the ground, bloodied and exhausted when I realized.

‘It’s just not happening… no matter how little rotation I do… once acceleration starts, overwhelming energy consumption begins at the fourth rotation… meaning… I can’t even start if I don’t have rotation at zero from the beginning!’

What should I even do?!

“AAAAAAAA!!”

Thud.

In frustration, I accelerated the rotation with all my might, only to fall once more into the walking fire entering demon.

*

“Here we go again.”

“…….”

Clatter, clatter.

Cheon Woo-jin rummaged through a raccoon doll storage cabinet and handed me a raccoon doll wearing sunglasses while staring intently at me. Then he said.

“Maybe you need a change of perspective?”

*

Bam!

I woke up again, holding the raccoon doll.

“Damn it. It feels like waking up from a dream…”

This time, my body felt sluggish, and the feeling was terrible. After taking a moment to circulate my internal energy and recover, I reflected on Cheon Woo-jin’s words.

‘A change of perspective? What do they mean by that?’

The current problem is that blindly trying over and over won’t work at all. So I understand why they mentioned a change of perspective, but how should I go about it?

“Hmm… Starting to rotate is only natural… accelerating is also necessary… but is there really a change of perspective here…?”

Since it was a simple structure, I couldn’t figure out where I had gone wrong.

Feeling confused and mired in doubt, I decided to attempt the Thunder Spirit.

Bam!

With the Thunder Spirit’s large bowl, three other forms began to orbit. I knew that if I started accelerating in this state, I would soon face a hellish limit. My thoughts had hit a wall, and I didn’t know what to do anymore.

“Haah. Damn… What on earth am I doing? How would these techniques work in real combat…?”

In that moment, something suddenly clicked in my mind.

“…Real combat?”

Wait a second… could it be?

With a hint of skepticism, I gathered my energy. Then, I pulled the unfolding Thunder Spirit from within my body, and felt the rapid rotation of spheres inside me.

‘It’s working.’

I worried that I might trigger walking fire entering demon again, but it turned out to be unwarranted concern. After all, since it was martial arts from the same root, they were somewhat compatible.

Finally, I focused my energy and shouted.

“Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique!!”

Bam!!

Crackling!! Crack!

In that moment, the thunder spirits swirling within released an explosion of overwhelming light, enveloping my body with intense thunder. My human form seemed barely visible, and I felt like I had transformed into a being of light.

[This is!!]

My voice sounded less like human utterance and more like the vibration of thunder rolling through nature.

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

Even amidst the thunder storm, the three spheres revolving around me didn’t stop. Interestingly enough, those spheres seemed unaffected by my transformation into thunder and maintained their forms.

Smack!

Out of curiosity, I casually threw a punch and instantly realized it was far different from my usual punch. It felt as if the path my fist took transformed into a light beam.

BAM!!

The moment I seemed to transform into a lightning person, my body returned to normal human form. I stared in disbelief, blinking at my form, astonished.

“This can’t be….”

There’s no doubt.

That earlier state was the Thunder Spirit that Lee Cheong-un manifested!

No, from the amount of power and stability, it was even exceeding the power of the Thunder God!

‘Does this mean that using the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique in the state of the Soul of the Four Gods means I can access the future Thunder Spirit?!’

What does this even mean?!

I was momentarily baffled, wrestling with overwhelming thoughts, sitting there for days, lost. And after much deliberation, I finally reached a conclusion.

“It’s possible.”

I then attempted to harness Wind Spirit Transformation and felt the Soul of the Four Gods activating. Tensed, I gazed at the empty space ahead and spoke as if in self-hypnosis.

“Wind Spirit.”

I can do it.

Just like Lee Cheong-un with the Thunder Spirit, I might obtain a natural body with the power of the Wind God.

I can do it…..

Crack crack!

Again, I formed the Thunder Spirit within my body. Unlike the last time, when I transformed abruptly into a thunder person, I thought this might be because the synergy between the Nine Chambers was lost.

‘Right. It must be intertwined…’

When performing both the Soul of the Four Gods and the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique simultaneously, it felt as if two different gears were accidentally meshing perfectly.

As the two supreme techniques resonated and increased the rotational speed, it became clear I was losing control and unable to maintain the link.

If only I could maintain that feeling a bit longer, while utilizing the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique with the power of the Soul of the Four Gods…

I continued murmuring this to myself, concentrating while in the lotus position. As I formed the Thunder Spirit alongside three spheres, I immediately pulled up the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique.

Crackle!!

‘Alright. While keeping the Nine Chambers alive, now!!’

Wind Spirit!

Ka-Kung!

‘It’s hot!!’

A volcanic energy surged from deep within, radiating intense heat from my heart. I was slightly shocked by this tumultuous heat, but realizing it wouldn’t harm me, I steeled myself and continued to attempt transformations into Wind Spirit. After what felt like an eternity passed, a cold wind swept through my entire being.

Crack!

‘Done!!’

In that moment, when the Thunder Spirit transformed into Wind Spirit, I noticed the sensation of the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique had maintained its contact with the transformation of Wind Spirit. Simultaneously, looking down at my body, I found it had transformed in a way I had never seen before.

Ki-Ying…

[It’s transparent.]

Indeed, at that moment, it felt as though my body had transitioned into a Wind Person. Though I referred to it as a Wind Person, the body of the Wind God seemed to become almost invisible, almost as if it had dissolved into nothingness.

‘If the Wind Spirit sect created the Wind Spirit, would it feel something like this?’

But how beneficial can being transparent really be in battle?

I raised an eyebrow, questioning the true potential of the Wind Spirit. Although having a transparent body seemed highly advantageous, in the realm of absolute mastery, it didn’t seem overly decisive.

After all, absolute masters do not rely merely on sight. They utilize Hearing (청경), Inner Sight (심안), Sixth Sense (육감), Intent (의념), and Qi Sense (기감) to fight in ways that normal humans simply couldn’t comprehend. Thus, how valuable transparency is at my level could be considered somewhat trivial.

Phew.

For the sake of experimentation, I threw a punch just like I did in the Thunder Spirit state, but unlike the lightning punch that was equivalent to thunder speed, the punch in Wind Spirit was transparent but otherwise just ordinary. Naturally, it surpassed sound speed, but it simply could not compare to the lightning state. Clearly, the Wind Spirit did not possess the same potential for elevating physical capabilities to their ultimate form as the Thunder Spirit.

‘Hm. I’ve also gotten a bit more familiar with the “interweaving” sensation…’

Earlier, when I utilized the Thunder Spirit and Nine Chambers simultaneously, I became flustered and lost the Thunder Spirit state due to being unaccustomed, but now I could stabilize my Wind Spirit state relatively easily. I figured I could maintain this form for at least half a breath. Meanwhile, while sustaining the Wind Spirit, I murmured.

[So, then. Using the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique while transforming into the Soul of the Four Gods will amplify its capabilities.]

And the amplified Soul of the Four Gods, without needing to grow more complex, allows for what seems to be a superhuman transformation based on the roots of the Four Great Families!

This was undeniably a remarkable achievement.

Because even the later generations of the Thunder God lineage needed exceptional talents to master such difficult ascension techniques to achieve. Acquiring those techniques allowed them to utilize the Thunder Spirit, but even still, they had weaknesses that came from depending on the Heavenly Spirit Pill. Who would have thought that simply employing the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique alongside the original Soul of the Four Gods would yield such overwhelming power?

Swoosh.

I released my Wind Spirit transformation, feeling invigorated as I sat in deep thought.

‘Then it means I could also transform into the Fire Spirit or Water Spirit as well! But there’s a problem…’

I felt the need to confirm whether the “problem” I had identified would indeed prove accurate. After recovering my stamina and energy from two consecutive uses of the Soul of the Four Gods, I now readied myself to challenge transforming into the Fire Spirit.

Fwoosh!!

As I unleashed the Fire Spirit, my entire body ignited like hellfire, burning without pause. No, rather than my material form disappearing, it felt like my heart and entire being had turned into fire. Impulsively, I decided to shoot a fiery projectile forward with little thought.

Boom!!

[Whoa!!]

An overwhelming surge of heat erupted from my core and struck the nearby mountain. Having experienced numerous heat and light attacks, I thought such might surpass future plasma energy attacks, given that anything the Fire Spirit’s fiery force passed through evaporated completely. In the words of Professor Sima Ling, it could be likened to an attack of absolute heat in the hundreds of millions!

With my arms crossed, I muttered.

[Still not enough. Time for the Water Spirit.]

Swish…

In the state of the Water Spirit, my body transformed into a fluid-like doll. This body, seemingly crafted from glass, projected a profoundly alien feeling.

In the Water Spirit state, I didn’t know what to do, standing idly.

‘Hmm… What on earth is the power of water? Lightning or flame is easily conceived… but what about water?’

I maintained the Water Spirit form for a long while. During this time, I occasionally tried to throw a punch or execute basic martial techniques, yet I felt no real advantages. It seemed no different than being completely unarmed. After much practice, I finally discerned a single benefit of the Water Spirit.

‘It’s far easier to maintain than the Soul of the Four Gods. Even more so than the Thunder Spirit… With the Water Spirit, I could manage it for nearly half a breath.’

I wondered if the stability of water made that the case?

Swish.

I explored each of the forms of the Soul of the Four Gods and eventually returned to my original state. Sitting there, I sighed.

“Damn it! The Thunder Spirit is still the most powerful.”

And that was the issue, after all.

I had hoped for some drastic change or evolution in the other three, waiting to see if they could match the Thunder Spirit’s might, yet nothing seemed to compare in terms of combat ability. Perhaps the Fire Spirit’s heat beam or flame attack could rival physical destruction, but the speed differences were far too vast. The Water Spirit simply maintained stability, and outside of that, I couldn’t grasp why I should even use it.

Ultimately, was the Thunder Spirit the only useful form of the Four Gods?

A slight dissatisfaction stirred within me at the thought, but soon I shook my head.

‘No. Perhaps I’ve just yet to discover the unique characteristics within the other three forms.’

It’s possible that the Fire Spirit, Water Spirit, and Wind Spirit could contain prowess to rival the Thunder Spirit. But it might be that they couldn’t be revealed through straightforward methods.

‘More importantly, still remains the original problem. How can I surpass the “fourth rotation”? I have gained wisdom from discovering how to transform into the Soul of the Four Gods but I still lack the solution to the original problem.’

Circling back, I felt a tinge of impatience. However, the fact I had achieved some progress prevented me from feeling completely despairing.

I pondered for a long time before a sudden thought into my mind.

“Exactly. What if I were to do a rotation while using the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique?”

Until now, I had merely provided intent for rotation in order to achieve circular motion. But what if I filled that intent with the full power of the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique?!

‘Oh ho! Am I a genius or what?’

The thought felt marvelous, as if I had discovered something utterly brilliant.

And so, I activated the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique to inject warmth into the three spheres for rotation.

Whoooosh……

As I shifted from the Thunder Spirit to the Wind Spirit, my body rapidly transformed. I could sense that the pressure from the accompanying rotation would propel the three spheres forward. But I quickly realized the acceleration must’ve been far beyond expectations.

‘Whoa?! I barely put in any effort, why is it spinning so fast already…?’

Kaboom!

One rotation was completed in an instant, and yet also too fast, as my surroundings turned white in an overwhelming blur.

Boom!

*

“This time, I didn’t even get a scream out before exploding like a balloon.”

“…….”

As I sat there dazed, Cheon Woo-jin passed me a coffee cup.

“What is this?”

“It’s a magical drink that reduces death shock.”

“Huh….”

I forced a bitter smile as I took a sip of the warm coffee. The pain of death faded away, and I felt as if my mental strength was being restored. No matter how accustomed to death one becomes, facing a horrific death wears down one’s resolve, and it seemed this was re-establishing that.

After a few more sips, my mind cleared up, and I looked at Cheon Woo-jin.

“What was that uninvited guest you mentioned earlier?”

Clack.

Cheon Woo-jin sat across from me, holding his coffee cup. He took a sip before casually answering.

“There are two types. But don’t worry, there’s little chance either is going to reach you right now.”

“Two kinds?”

“It’s something to consider when you’ve died a few hundred times.”

As Cheon Woo-jin gazed at me, he then spoke.

“The power of the Soul of the Four Gods is something best understood by those who have trained in the sect.”

*

Bam!

I opened my eyes again and immediately recalled Cheon Woo-jin’s words.

‘Those who learned the sect best understand the power of the Soul of the Four Gods?’

Then does that mean since I’ve learned the Thunder God lineage, I understand the power of the Thunder Spirit best?

But I also learned from other sects a bit…

I grasped that Cheon Woo-jin’s advice came to assist my training, but I couldn’t easily interpret what it meant.

One thing was clear.

“I’ve hit a wall.”

Regardless of whether I attempted further or not, my plan to instantiate circular motion had hit an unavoidable transition.

While I unexpectedly learned to transition into the Soul of the Four Gods, it was still a side achievement, and I couldn’t use the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique to actualize movement.

To break through this wall, it seemed I needed another breakthrough of inspiration.

“…….”

As I pondered, I stood up and took hold of the martial arts manual that Shim Su-ryeok had given me.

“When my head’s full of clutter, the only option is to learn something new!”

Boom thud!

I immersed myself in a dazzlingly mad training session, recapping all the basics of the martial arts manual I had practiced thus far. It had previously proved effective to fall into an ecstatic trance where otherwise unexpected ideas surfaced. Given that my natural martial bearing was far too superficial, I felt it was better to do something rather than to suffer endlessly under the weight of indecision.

Thus, through years of training, I diligently established my foundation in the martial arts. It wasn’t until one day when I caught sound of a familiar voice that I stopped.

“I’m glad to see you training hard!!”

“Shim Su-ryeok.”

Unexpectedly sitting on the roof of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, Shim Su-ryeok looked down at me while drinking from a bottle.

“Let’s skip the small talk and just try out three basic techniques, shall we?”

Boom.

Before he could finish his sentence, the soju bottle he had been holding was flicking right at me. Its speed was neither too fast nor too slow, yet I could tell the tremendous internal energy contained in that bottle. Because I was confident in my internal energy, I smirked and aimed to catch it head-on.

Boom!

“…?!”

Wait, is this for real?!

Surprisingly, the overwhelming force from the bottle knocked my knees instinctively to the ground, overwhelmed by a sensation I never deemed possible. There was no chance Shim Su-ryeok’s original energy could potentially carry this much force. His internal force had undoubtedly increased by at least dozens of times!

Chewing sounds.

Finally managing to grasp the bottle with considerable effort, once I secured it, Shim Su-ryeok chuckled and lunged at me.

“Hahaha! Here comes a primary barrage!”

Golden Sky’s Divine Crack!!

I attempted to use three treasure techniques to evade the swiftly approaching Golden Sky’s Divine Crack, but recognized I was facing an overwhelming force. Instead of attempting to dodge anymore, I opted to defend, parrying the Golden Sky strike while attempting a counterattack with my martial technique.

Boom!!

The roar of thunder echoed through the arena as Shim Su-ryeok’s attack collided with my martial stance. Yet in that very moment, Shim Su-ryeok’s leg drew back with a dark afterimage, aiming to crush my defensive guard with a downward kick. The momentum was so formidable that I sensed I could not defend with my position and swiftly altered my trajectory to execute a counter.

Swish!

Instead of relying on a mere guard, I engaged both my back and shoulders for a more profound counterattack, switching to a grappling approach. Shim Su-ryeok hesitated a moment as our bodies entwined, and then used his double palms to instantly spring back.

Boom!

In an instant, the exchange of three basic techniques concluded. Shim Su-ryeok seemed rather surprised.

“What’s this? You mentioned you lacked talent, but it seems you’ve acquired a degree of mastery during the last ten years.”

“Well, I’ve primarily moved within set guidelines, but now it appears I can utilize my whole body with martial techniques.”

I provided a wry smile in response to Shim Su-ryeok’s observation.

“You yourself have experienced an increase of at least fifteenfold in power. While the Absolute Realm fights through intent, that degree of increase clearly translates into martial arts prowess… what on earth have you done?”

Shim Su-ryeok’s internal energy was levels beyond extraordinary. Although I didn’t reach that level, it was evident he had clearly approached the limitations of human capabilities! I was astounded by Shim Su-ryeok’s transformation to such a degree that he could compete with the most formidable martial practitioners.

Yet, after a moment, he replied.

“I thought you would know; I consumed the internal energy you told me about. Golden Lotus, Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, and I raided the Sacred Lotus Garden located within the White Lotus Sect’s headquarters. I also collected items from the Shaolin Daehwandan.”

Huh, so that’s why he’s so powerful…

I was left speechless.

“Did you find all of those right here?!”

“That’s what I said. Didn’t I tell you this is a world that’s essentially a replica of the original with no one here?”

“Hmm.”

“Nevertheless, that’s not the crux of the matter. Take this.”

As he tossed me an item, I was left astounded. It was quite sizable, thick, and weighed as much as a human arm, but thinking back to its original size made it seem practically insignificant.

“Huh, what is this…?”

Shim Su-ryeok chuckled softly.

“What do you think? Are you salivating yet?”

In disbelief, I remarked.

“This is the sapling of the Dragon Flower Tree from the sealed place! But why did you bring it back?”

“…….”

“…?!”

Once I realized what Shim Su-ryeok was hinting at, my expression went blank.

Shim Su-ryeok grinned and said, “I want to see how much my internal energy will increase if I consume the World Tree. However, if I die, can you bring me back to life?”

I blinked at Shim Su-ryeok’s uttering and momentarily lost my bearings, before recovering and asking.

“Wait, you plan to eat the World Tree?!”

“There’s no law against dying. However, if I do die, I’d like to be brought back to life.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Just tell me whether or not it’ll work.”

I pondered with my hand to my head for a moment before finally speaking.

“Honestly, I have no idea. I can use the Wheel King’s power, but I’ve never tested if it will actually work here.”

“That’s good enough. I’ll die at least once, and even if not, I won’t blame you.”

Clatter!

With that, Shim Su-ryeok pulled out an enormous pot he had sourced from somewhere. Then he stared at me.

“Although I’d prefer not to take bites of raw plant, should I boil it and drink it instead? Light a fire for me.”

“…….”

Staring at him dumbfounded, I bluntly replied.

“Are you serious right now?”

“I never joke about important matters. I’m certainly just going to eat.”

“No, that’s not… ugh… ugh, the thought of boiling the World Tree is just insane.”

“Then you must not have a reason against it either, do you? If you resist, you must have your reasoning in mind.”

“Eating may lead to death…”

“So, if I die, bring me back.”

“…….”

Damn… my words stuck in my throat… when the premise of eating it leading to death becomes meaningless, any conversation morphs into a circular debate.

Even though I felt bewildered, I pulled myself together and said, “No, that’s not it! The World Tree embodies chaos itself. It is the ancient ruler, a mass of chaos. Although it appears as a tree, it’s the densest mass of chaos in the universe. It’s better to chug a bottle of poison than to consume this.”

“So you mean it’s definitely harmful? But no matter how harmful it is, dying is the worst that could happen. So if I can be resurrected afterward, even the most dangerous considerations become irrelevant.”

“No, it’s simply extreme. Why have you suddenly decided to try to eat this?”

Shim Su-ryeok stared at me intently and replied, “I want to grow stronger.”

“…….”

“I don’t know why I haven’t attempted eating it until now. So I can determine whether you’re right about it being safe or not when I eat it in front of you.”

I sensed the steadfast determination behind Shim Su-ryeok and realized I wouldn’t sway him further. So, with reluctance, I nodded and rasped.

“Then go ahead and give it a try… perhaps.”

“Why again?”

I asked skeptically.

“Right, I recall the Dragon Flower Tree was simply a black mass of living material when I last saw it; this one has sprouted and developed roots! When I found it before, it must not have sprouted yet…”

“Exactly. Is that so strange?”

“…….”

If the chaotic seed of the World Tree sprouted here with a specific trigger unlike in my original world, why had not a single seed ever sprouted after thirty rebirths? Is there some significance to this?

Finally, shaking my head, I said, “No, let’s just boil it then.”

Fwoosh!

I used divine power to conjure water, pouring it into the pot, then activated the Fire Spirit transformation to inject intense fire energy while boiling the Dragon Flower Tree. The flames were so potent they could melt both the pot and water thoroughly, but I protected them with divine power. The sapling, however, quickly began to react, with its shell dissolving and revealing a golden glow.

Crackle!

As I sensed an unimaginable density of dark chaotic power emerging from the golden glow, I shuddered. I easily recognized that untapped chaos surfaced as material being stripped away!

‘As it becomes more golden, that is the moment I can eat the Dragon Flower Tree!!’

I felt panic rising and quickly turned to Shim Su-ryeok, shouting, “I’ll give the signal, and you grab it and consume it raw!”

“Not brewed?”

“I think that’s impossible.”

“Fine then.”

“…… Now!!”

Shim Su-ryeok swiftly grabbed the Dragon Flower Tree enfolding it in powerful internal energy. Then he promptly chewed it down.

Crunch Crunch.

Shim Su-ryeok quickly devoured the Dragon Flower Tree, finishing it in less than a count of ten. He swallowed hard, looking momentarily ill, and uttered,

“It’s softer than I expected, easy to chew. Like biting into dry chicken…”

“Are you alright?”

“Hmm… wait for it.”

I faced Shim Su-ryeok and waited. However, upon observing him for signs of any abnormal reaction, he suddenly didn’t die. Everything seemed normal, and I questioned.

“Surely, chaotic essence must have seeped through. Did you really just consume that unscathed?”

“How odd. It doesn’t seem that my internal energy has increased much…”

Shim Su-ryeok gazed up in thought and suddenly widened his eyes.

“Ugh!!”

“Are you okay?!”

Boom!

“…….”

“…….”

“Cough. I was just too hasty….”

I slightly pinched my nose, responding nonchalantly, “Are you okay? In any case, it’s fortunate nothing happened.”

It was strange that Shim Su-ryeok seemed completely unscathed after consuming the Dragon Flower Tree. He appeared so fine that I felt deflated.

‘What gives? Is it possible he didn’t eat the genuine article?’

No, it felt validated; the pure chaos I witnessed was the real deal. Any normal person would’ve been instantly annihilated by even a droplet of it. Pure chaos is a far deadlier hazard than radioactive waste. There’s no doubt Shim Su-ryeok had just consumed raw chaos itself.

How is he unaffected?

While I pondered this, Shim Su-ryeok said, “It’s still sitting heavily on my stomach. I’m feeling slightly queasy.”

“… Don’t let out gas.”

“I just let one slip; is that not too much to complain about?”

Jokingly, Shim Su-ryeok murmured after concluding.

“I wish to grow strong just like Howol, but it seems I may need more than this.”

“Though eating the World Tree seems a bit insane…”

“Whatever. Let’s hear what you’ve been training in lately.”

“Sure.”

I began to recount all that I had trained over the past while. Shim Su-ryeok listened intently throughout my retelling.

“I believe I can assist you. Now, why don’t you show me the Fire Spirit?”

Fwoosh!

As I activated the Fire Spirit transformation and became a being of flames, Shim Su-ryeok’s eyes sparkled in surprise.

“Whoa!! So it’s possible to do that with the Soul of the Four Gods!!”

After a few moments inspecting me, he suddenly spoke, “You mentioned there is a character from later generations named Han Baek-ryeong who wielded the Fire Spirit. Is her technique different from yours?”

[I’m not sure. I thought while training alone, but she seems to wield a form of twilight light rather than the flames I manifest…]

That’s it. The Fire Spirit Han Baek-ryeong used seemed different from mine. Rather than pure flames, it appeared to transcend into some other kind of form. That’s why I couldn’t reference Han Baek-ryeong’s Fire Spirit while trying to learn my own.

Shim Su-ryeok added, “Surely, you must have some technique that you wielded when you saw her last, correct? Anything that can be recalled?”

[…….]

While probing my memory, I answered, [When I successfully triggered the Thunder Wheel, at that time I struck with the Fire Spirit combined with the dragon’s spirit; that helped me recall the Four Great Spirits.]

“Dragon spirit… fusion?”

Suddenly, Shim Su-ryeok wore a painful expression, as if struck by inspiration. He stood there swaying slightly, which startled me.

“Are you okay? The Dragon Flower Tree you ate earlier…”

“Agh… it’s not that. I’m just suddenly overwhelmed by recollections… but anyhow.”

Shim Su-ryeok stammered, and then abruptly asked, “Is there nothing else?”

[I also hit on the fact that I combined the Fire Spirit with Primordial Spirit to create an advanced form of the Fire Spirit. This technique significantly enhances the power of the Four Great Spirits, Agni… also, during the duel before the Golden Throne with Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, the energy of my Fire Spirit surged from within and consumed the Thunder Spirit, releasing a wave of heat energy.]

“….”

[However, I lacked enough information to determine the specific powers of the Fire Spirit, leaving me stranded at an apparent wall.]

“Not quite; you’ve all but found the answer.”

[Huh?]

When Shim Su-ryeok uttered this, I tilted my head in disbelief. Shim Su-ryeok extended his hand to my fiery form, placing his palm against my solar plexus. He hesitated in thought before speaking again.

“I’ve mastered all the primordial martial arts of Fire Spirits. Consequently, I know that the true attribute Fire Spirit holds isn’t merely flames.”

[If it’s not flames, what is it?]

“To manipulate the fabric of matter.”

[……?]

“Let me show you.”

Fwoosh!

Abruptly, Shim Su-ryeok also transformed into the state of the Fire Spirit just like me. Astonished by the speed of his transformation, I couldn’t help but watch wide-eyed.

[What!! How…?]

[Your state of the Fire Spirit owes its power to the amplifying effects of the Nine Chambers. However, your ‘vessels’ remain separate, thus enabling us to exchange strength by transferring it from each other’s body. Once I activate my Fire Spirit, I will share that state of Fire Spirit with you, confirming my theory.]

[……!!]

[Now, let me show you the true might behind Fire Spirit.]

Boom!

Shim Su-ryeok held his palm steady against my solar plexus while extending his other arm forward, taking a stance. He widened his eyes and shouted.

Thirst (渴)!

Whhhhhuuu!

At that moment, every space near his hand warped and shrank away as I perceived it. How should I describe it? The visible matter remained unchanged, but the minute particles forming it appeared altered completely. I could feel the metaphysical shift occurring around me.

‘Is this something I can only perceive while in Fire Spirit form?’

While observing this, Shim Su-ryeok elaborated, [This unreal void, isn’t it bizarre? When it intermixes with reality, its destructive force becomes catastrophic.]

[You mean…?]

[What you just witnessed is something that occurs when the martial arts of the Fire Spirit are perfected to their most extreme defensive capabilities; we call it the Void Flame (公炎). The devastating power of martial arts lies in infusing their strength and Void Flame properties during attacks. It’s because Void Flame possesses a destructive force that cannot be adequately countered by any martial arts!]

[Was that just an instance of Void Flame?]

[Yes. But Void Flame is neither a secret technique nor an ultimate method of the Fire Spirit; instead, it arises naturally through forceful exertion. Therefore, even Howol has no understanding of the essence of Void Flame.]

[…….]

[However, by borrowing your Fire Spirit state, I have finally unveiled what Void Flame truly signifies.]

As the state of both the Thunder Spirit and Fire Spirit faded, my body returned to its original form. I found myself surprised at how important each aspect of the Soul of the Four Gods held between them.

[Within this world, the elemental force of heat can be manipulated directly. This is the essence of Void Flame: the true power of the Fire Spirit!]

By that point, I felt my transformation as the Fire Spirit diminishing into my human form, signaling the connection between my divine and corporeal.

“To manipulate heat? How is that different from controlling flames?”

“Hmm. It can be difficult to articulate, but… let’s try again, apply the Fire Spirit to your state.”

Fwoosh!

Once more, I activated the Fire Spirit transformation while Shim Su-ryeok synchronized with my state, transforming into a fire human. In the same resulting position, Shim Su-ryeok spoke.

“Now, use all your strength to strike with just one punch.”

Boom!

Without a moment’s hesitation, I threw a punch toward Shim Su-ryeok’s head. But instead of my fire fist exploding his head, I was shocked to see it simply vanish into thin air.

[……?!]

My fiery punch had completely ceased to exist.

Shim Su-ryeok chuckled lightly.

[As we share the same Fire Spirit state, the manipulation of our heat permits this function.]

Swish!

I had been startled by my punch dissipating before realizing our physical forms had retained their integrity after our Fire Spirit states dropped simultaneously.

“How did you do this?”

“Hmm. When the Soul of the Four Gods is employed, it’s not composed of flesh and blood like our current forms, is it? Their substance is elemental. So even if they ceased and shattered, your original body remains undamaged.”

Fwoosh!

Shim Su-ryeok continued.

“Simply put, I merely manipulated the flow of Void Flame through my full being while adapting to the trajectory you threw.”

“Using Void Flame to alter energy in response?”

“Similar. However, the ability to seamlessly command martial arts involves mastering a distinctive sense rooted in the Fire Spirit’s techniques.”

“…….”

At that moment, I recalled Cheon Woo-jin’s words echoing through my mind.

[The power of the Soul of the Four Gods is best understood by those who have trained in that sect.]

Is this what he meant, after all?

Focusing back on Shim Su-ryeok, I considered the significance of what I had noted from his observations.

“Therefore, this also signifies the experiences I must seize and integrate?”

By integrating that knowledge, I’d not only learn to harmonize martial arts but become empowered to harness all profound aspects this transformation encompasses.

“It’s all gradually coming together,” I finally composed myself amidst new understanding.

“It seems there’s a path I must traverse.”

 

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