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Breathing in Thunder Claps was one crazy experience.

Unlike normal human breathing controlled by inhaling and exhaling, the technique involved condensing the breath to unleash all that energy at once. You even had to control the Qi through your pores! Mastering that twisted breathing method required insane training.

During the first month, I pushed myself to train at nights, sacrificing sleep to nail down the Thunder Clap. Lee Kwang, usually pretty chill, was hyper-focused with bloodshot eyes trying to teach me, while I stripped off my shirt in a waterfall, concentrating as hard as I could. I had to master the perfect flow of Thunder Qi without disturbing the natural energies around me.

With my life’s concentration fueled by sheer desperation, I clung to the opportunity as if it were a life raft. I just knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime shot at mastering what felt like this epic technique. Lady Luck had granted me the chance to actually learn the secret from Lee Kwang’s heart, but who knows if I’d get that lucky again? I had to seize this chance with all I had!

Night and day, I even dived into Hyun Cheon Divine Art, and lo and behold, about four months later, the fruits of my labor started to show.

Woo-hoo!!

“I did it!” I finally felt the Thunder Clap wrapping around my whole body for the first time. Sure, it took intense focus compared to Lee Kwang effortlessly performing it, but hey, success is success! Lee Kwang, who was watching on the sidelines, broke into a proud smile.

“You’ve finally gotten it! Good job.”

“I’m just sorry it took me so long.”

“Nah, don’t sweat it. Now that you’ve got that down, most folks won’t stand a chance against you. Just keep a steady pace, and you’ll reach the next level in no time.”

As I relaxed my Thunder Clap, I felt a wave of internal power draining from me. I had barely held it for thirty seconds, and it felt like ten percent of my energy just vanished into thin air. As I glanced at my condition, Lee Kwang asked,

“So, how long do you think you could maintain the Thunder Clap?”

“Maybe a little over half a second?”

“That’s some monster-level internal power! Usually, newbies can’t even last ten seconds…”

Lee Kwang’s mind was officially blown. After some thought, he said,

“Try holding it until your internal energy is completely drained.”

“Sure!”

Woo-hoo!

Following Lee Kwang’s orders, I pushed myself to maintain the Thunder Clap until my energy completely ran out. When I did, my reflexes and movements shot up to levels I never imagined, as if time itself slowed down. On top of that, the movement of that mysterious energy felt incredibly nimble, allowing me to switch techniques like a pro.

When I exceeded that half a second mark, I felt every ounce of energy slip away, and my skin started showing veins. Just then, some hidden internal power erupted from my Dantian, giving me a little more stamina. The feeling was surreal! I managed to keep it going just under a meal’s time before I could finally release it.

“Huff… huff…”

Lee Kwang’s jaw dropped as he watched me exhaust myself after holding the Thunder Clap for that long. He stammered,

“Holding the Thunder Clap for a meal’s worth of time… truly, your internal power is peerless. You’re close to mastering the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

“Huh? The Heavenly Spirit Pill… what’s that?”

I gasped for air and fired off the question.

“You keep bringing up the Heavenly Spirit Pill, could you explain what that’s like?”

“The Heavenly Spirit Pill means you’ve opened your Middle Dantian. The Qi built up in your Lower Dantian overflows, influencing not just your energy paths, but the space around you too. All that gathered energy properly forms Dan, granting you almost infinite internal power!”

“……!!”

“But you’re not quite there yet. I believe you need to go through a special process with your Qi to fully become a Heavenly Spirit Pill wielder. The evidence of reaching this level is your unlimited internal power and a phenomenon called Rebirth of Flesh.”

“Rebirth of Flesh?”

“Half-Transition Master is part of it too. Going through that process will make you younger like Half-Transition Master, or keep your body in peak condition like the Unfazed State. Since you haven’t gone through that yet, you aren’t a true Heavenly Spirit Pill wielder.”

My heart raced as I realized I was close to grasping that legendary state of Rebirth of Flesh! If what he said was true, it meant I could shed my old self and snag the ultimate body! But then doubts crept in.

‘I’ve chomped down on that Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and Black and White Lotus at least seven times. No one in the world has ingested more elixirs than me. Yet, Han Baek-ryeong has already achieved Rebirth of Flesh and Half-Transition Master. If I’m ahead in internal power, why the hell am I lagging behind?’

It seemed like Rebirth of Flesh wasn’t just about raw internal power. I had to dig deeper to understand this weird phenomenon, so I asked,

“Why can’t I achieve Rebirth of Flesh on my own?”

“Who knows? I have some guesses, but it’s probably quicker to ask someone who has already achieved it.”

Lee Kwang mentioned nonchalantly as he reached out for a wooden spear floating in the air. He then aimed it at me and said,

“Now, try using the Thunder Clap again. This time, feel the power behind it.”

“Huh?”

“You know you’re still recovering your internal power, right? Even a moment of focus will do.”

Reluctantly, I started channeling my physical and mental energy again for the Thunder Clap. The moment that electric charge swirled around me, Lee Kwang unexpectedly launched a stabbing technique with the wooden spear. His strikes were lightning-fast and brutal, and I previously couldn’t dodge or resist them.

But this time, I saw it coming.

I could dodge!

Swish!

In that split second while activating the Thunder Clap, I managed to avoid Lee Kwang’s thrust! Plus, I moved a step forward, making it even easier to dodge!

“Whoa!”

That was something I could never do before! My jaw hit the floor in shock while Lee Kwang chuckled.

“That’s the power of Thunder Clap. Your reflexes, reaction speed, and the velocity of your Qi all increase explosively. While in that state, the world will feel like it’s crawling.”

“You got that right.”

“If you can sustain the Thunder Clap for a meal’s worth of time, you’re golden. The casting time doesn’t even factor into your internal power consumption, so you wouldn’t need to worry about facing anyone.”

“That’s incredible…!!”

I realized this was what they meant by the Decisive Enlightenment. If I had such a technique, my odds of survival and winning battles would skyrocket! But with how much internal power it zaps, I definitely had to use it wisely, but either way, it was a massive advantage.

Afterward, I spent a year under Lee Kwang’s meticulous guidance for the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms and practiced the basic routine of Ranna Chul until my palms were bruised. Oddly enough, every session felt like I was learning fresh techniques, making it super fun.

There were times Lee Kwang seemed disappointed with my slow improvement, yet he resolved to keep teaching me. It felt like he had a solid ‘goal’ now compared to before.

And on my one-year anniversary of practicing spear techniques, Lee Kwang said,

“I’m ready to grant you the license for the Thunder God Infinite Spear.”

“You serious?”

“You’re allowed to step into the realm of the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique as well.”

My heart raced.

The Thunder God Infinite Spear was the strongest technique in the Thunder God Lineage, and the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique was a top-tier martial skill of the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, packed with insane speed and transformation! Learning those two would make me a true successor of the Thunder God Lineage.

That’s when Jin So-cheong, who was helping alongside, chimed in,

“Isn’t this a bit too soon?”

“Maybe, but we have to consider the time it takes to pass down the first six forms of the Thunder God Infinite Spear. No choice but to give it a shot.”

“……”

From their conversation, I realized I was merely scraping by with my spear skills and was far from being on their level. I was like an athlete just hanging in there! It stung my pride a bit, but I kept my mouth shut as Lee Kwang began teaching me the Thunder God Infinite Spear.

“Alright, let’s get started.”

And just like that, time flowed by like a river.

I trained and trained.

It took me three years to get a grip on the Thunder God Infinite Spear, and another year to cross into the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique. After spending about five and a half years in the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, I finally grasped the advanced techniques of the Thunder God Lineage.

But after six years of constant pressure, I felt like I was losing my sanity.

“Ugh… should I just end it all…”

I sighed deeply and plopped down in the training ground. I had shown up today out of obligation, but just thinking about the kill-you-with-a-glare expression Lee Kwang wore made my knees buckle.

I still recalled his thunderous rant from back then.

[Damn it! How could I be wasting time on a fool like you? Is this what they call a waste of time? AAAAAAAAAAH!!]

In the past, Lee Kwang couldn’t believe it took me three whole years to learn the Thunder God Infinite Spear. He was seconds away from losing it, and if Jin So-cheong hadn’t intervened, I’d have surely been signed off for life. Lee Kwang really had high hopes and placed all his effort into teaching me, yet I ended up being the big disappointment.

On that particular day, I got smacked around so much my first beat-down felt like a gentle breeze. If Jin So-cheong hadn’t stepped in, I would’ve surely died and reincarnated. The only reason I had an extra year to learn the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique was entirely thanks to Jin So-cheong saving my hide. Even so, I was so beat down I needed a whole two weeks of recovery just to stand again!

The reason I was seriously considering ending it all now was simply how exhausting it had become to live under Lee Kwang’s piercing gaze every day. But as for practice… there was no better place than here, so I gritted my teeth and hung in there, despite the misery.

‘Man, getting your hopes up and then getting slapped down by Lee Kwang… that’s a tough gig.’

Lee Kwang seemed to harbor real resentment towards me now. I was just trying to practice Ranna Chul, but suddenly in swooped a paper bird!

Bweeep!

It turned out to be a paper messenger that Mangnyang used to convey messages after mastering mid-level techniques. I quickly snatched the paper bird and opened it.

The letter read:

[Are you doing well at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School? Thanks to your help, I’ve been traveling the world seeking clues for the Silver Phoenix Fragment. Along the way, I’ve gained some companions, and much has happened over the years. Now I think it’s time to share the news with you, so here I am. Please come to Jinrang Valley in three days. Mangnyang]

Mangnyang had spent the last five years hunting down leads with the Black and White Lotus roots and the Divine Sword, and now he finally had something to report! I was so thrilled to receive this letter after all this time that I felt tears forming.

Training day in and day out at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School had been painful, yet this letter was just the uplifting news I needed.

‘Alright, let’s get moving!’

I decided I’d go meet Mangnyang and catch up on everything. I hurried over to show Jin So-cheong the letter and told her I was off to meet a friend at Jinrang Valley. Jin So-cheong nodded and replied,

“My dear disciple seems rather gloomy lately; this could cheer you up. Take your time, and I’ll let the master know.”

“Elder brother, why are you packing up?”

Indeed, Jin So-cheong had a bundle packed up, ready to go.

With a smile, he said, “It’s nothing serious. I’m thinking about getting active in the Jianghu and making my mark.”

I was taken aback.

“Wait, did the Master give you the green light?”

“Of course! They said my skills have reached a sufficient level. It’s about time I head out to tackle some of the heavyweights in Jianghu.”

“I see…”

Jin So-cheong sighed, looking somewhat regretful.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to accompany you. I need to head to the South River right away.”

“The South River?”

“There’s a Poison Demon among the Eight Demons of the Demon Path causing chaos there. I’m planning to deal with him.”

“……”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Destined to slay the Poison Demon, one of the fiercest minions from the Demon Path? All while treating it like he was off to catch a puppy? Even so, I knew Jin So-cheong had the strength to pull it off, so I stayed quiet.

‘So, he’s gearing up to become one of the Ten Great Masters?’

Maybe Lee Kwang’s harsh demeanor towards me stemmed from this. I knew Jin So-cheong would need to break out on his own, and any precious time he could’ve spent molding his only disciple was wasted on me. If my elder brother began making waves in Jianghu, he’d hardly have time for Lee Kwang anymore, and I could totally see that being the source of Lee Kwang’s resentment.

“Well, I’ll be on my way then.”

I waved goodbye to Jin So-cheong and headed straight for Jinrang Valley. My steps felt lighter, and I was filled with anticipation to see how much Mangnyang had changed in the meantime.

But the instant I stepped into Jinrang Valley, a sense of unease washed over me.

‘What’s going on?’

The village didn’t seem altered in any way, but not a single human was in sight. There was an unsettling, dark energy creeping all around me. I could sense wickedness seeping from every direction and swallowed hard as I ventured deeper.

 

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