Chapter 558
After a series of tasks, I returned to Jangryeong Valley. Now, I decided to put my training in techniques aside and dedicate myself once more to martial arts. This was because Zhuge Sa had firmly expressed his opinion on my path to growth.
“Studying techniques any longer is a waste of time until you reach the peak of power and break through the boundary with your Spirit Power. It’d be better if you sharpened your martial arts instead.”
Following Zhuge Sa’s words, I sought out Lee Cheong-un.
“Haap!”
Lee Cheong-un was busy teaching Guk-ho in a training area of Jangryeong Valley. Guk-ho was rapidly creating clones and sparring with Lee Cheong-un, who moved in tune with Guk-ho’s level just like when he fought with me. The clash of intense qi erupted as their weapons met, producing a chaotic spectacle every time their strikes came together.
“Grrng!”
“Ugh.”
At that moment, Lee Cheong-un deftly slipped through and struck Guk-ho in the waist, causing him to grunt in pain and soar away. After clinching the spar, Lee Cheong-un glanced my way.
“You’re here.”
“Is this how you always practice?”
“Six times a day.”
“Isn’t that a bit too intense?”
I couldn’t help but worry. Indeed, the training grounds were smashed to pieces by their clashes—a valid reason for Zhuge Sa’s complaints about the repair costs. Not to mention, the sparring partners would have to deal with tremendous stamina and drain of internal power repeatedly.
“This is how Guk-ho grows. He’s a martial artist who advances through sparring.”
“What about Jin So-cheong?”
“Her training method is different. Right now, she’s being taught the Essence of Soul Extinguishing Step.”
After that remark, Lee Cheong-un fixed a tranquil gaze upon me. His gaze was so profound that it made me flinch, prompting me to speak.
“Um… Did you want to say something?”
“Baek Woong. While you paused your martial arts training to study other fields, I pondered a lot. If I were to push you towards the path of Thunder Spirit with your limited talent, you would inevitably fall into the Heart Demon. It’s a problem that’s genuinely hard for me to resolve.”
With a thoughtful expression, Lee Cheong-un shifted his gaze back to the sprawled Guk-ho.
“Guk-ho. Come here. You need to hear this too.”
“Yes, Grand Master.”
Guk-ho sat next to me, grinning as he spoke.
“Hey! How have you been?”
“Alright, I guess.”
Then, Lee Cheong-un began speaking again.
“Baek Woong, I mentioned before that there are five stages to reach the Absolute Realm.”
“You did.”
“The last two stages are straightforward: inheritance and training of Thunder Spirit. But since you couldn’t possibly handle that, I was trying to elevate you to a level where you could digest the essence of Thunder God Lineage martial arts.”
“Once you master the techniques and get better at Thunder God Lineage Fist Techniques, it should be within your reach regardless of your talents.”
Lee Cheong-un crossed his arms.
“However, after you left, I thought about something very important that I had overlooked. I had been viewing everything solely from the perspective of a Thunder God lineage master.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s about the story left by the Master of the Sect. You found a very precious clue when you were reincarnated.”
“……?”
When I looked at him with confusion, Lee Cheong-un continued.
“Do you remember? You witnessed the miraculous scene where the Master of the White Lotus Sect killed and then resurrected the Dragon Flower Tree.”
That comment sparked a memory. It was undoubtedly the eighteenth cycle, when I became a disciple of the White Lotus Sect. Even though I met my end absurdly, the memory stuck out vividly.
“Ah… I exchanged martial arts dialogue with the Master then.”
“Recall that moment well.”
I rested my chin on my hand, digging through my memory.
[ Baek Woong, what do you think Qi is? ]
[ While striving to reach the martial extremes through countless bouts of training, I realized one thing—it was that my Primordial Spirit didn’t arise from the Void of God, or the Primordial Void. ]
[ The Primordial Void refers to Qi. The phrase ‘the Primordial Void is Qi’ signifies that Qi exists in a scattered form within the Primordial Void. ]
[ Look, see what’s at the end of this world. ]
[ You may not understand it now. But… there is one person in this world who understands the Primordial Void. It’s also true that he has reached the Four Catastrophes… ]
[ But he is now dead. ]
I was certain those words were spoken.
Since the Master spoke with profound meaning, I initially thought it was a clue to achieving martial extremes. Afterward, I endeavored to unravel his message in subsequent lives, but the returns were not promising. It mostly stemmed from Mangnyang’s exploration of the Fire Spirit and some casual remarks. Afterward, I was too wrapped up in various situations to think about it again.
After recounting what I remembered, Lee Cheong-un nodded his head.
“Right. ‘The Primordial Void is Qi.’ That’s quite a thought-provoking statement.”
“I know, but it’s too metaphysical for me to grasp.”
Lee Cheong-un laughed heartily.
“Honestly, I was in the same boat.”
“Huh? Even you, Lee Cheong-un?”
“Not everyone who reaches the Absolute Realm fully comprehends its teachings. Each master reaches their own understanding, and thus there are subtleties even at the same realm that can be misunderstood. I thought the Master merely imparted the method for establishing the Intent Heavenly Pillar.”
Lee Cheong-un’s expression hardened considerably.
“But lately, while training in the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortals Divine Art, I began to feel something odd as my level deepened… Perhaps that Master was on a plateau that exceeded my imagination.”
He spoke almost lamentingly.
“The Qi of Heaven and Earth flows in a hundred different ways, yet the Great Harmony allows for an unrestricted limit as they intertwine. Don’t you remember that?”
“Yes. It felt like the Master gained some insights when receiving the treasure of the Great Immortal.”
“I’m about to share a key takeaway with you. Though the phrase sounds complex, it boils down to a simple truth.”
Lee Cheong-un’s eyes sparkled.
“The Primordial Void is important. The Primordial Void is the only key that can surpass the Absolute Realm.”
I was taken aback.
“Is that true?!”
“I was perplexed by that phrase too, so I searched for references in Heng Gu’s works, and lo and behold, the Master quoted that very line. However, the interpretations of ‘no’ and ‘non-existence’ relate to the emptiness of Buddhism.”
“That’s a tangled mess.”
“I believe the Master intended to borrow theories from Heng Gu or Buddhism not literally but to convey his realizations in martial arts. It’s akin to stumbling upon a mouse while backing away from a cow.”
Lee Cheong-un bore an incredibly intrigued expression.
“They likely adapted their theories to metaphorically express their realizations regarding their own enlightenment. The Master certainly grasped a completely different field, and my studies pointed out that the takeaway was essentially the Primordial Void itself.”
“This is all too difficult…”
Despite my struggles to follow Lee Cheong-un’s elaborate explanation, it seemed I wasn’t the only one. Guk-ho sat there looking dazed too. Suddenly, he clapped my back.
“Hey! Even if you don’t get it, just keep listening diligently.”
“Ugh…”
At that moment, Lee Cheong-un wore a wry smile.
“I’ve been rambling too much.”
“Not at all.”
“I’ll put it more straightforwardly. The reason Heng Gu described the Primordial Void was to elucidate his own theory of philosophy. However, the Master intertwined ‘no’ into Heng Gu’s philosophy in discussing emptiness. ‘No’, emptiness… But even within that emptiness, the Primordial Void exists.”
I sensed a revelation in Lee Cheong-un’s words.
“What the Master truly wanted to convey was the notion of ‘no’, wasn’t it?”
“Precisely.”
Lee Cheong-un continued.
“To exist while simultaneously not existing. Isn’t that strange? It’s an ultimate contradiction. Yet the Master understood this contradiction through his very being.”
“Understood through his being?”
“Primordial Spirit.”
“……?”
“The Master confessed to you that his Primordial Spirit did not originate from the Void of God, or the Primordial Void. So where did the Primordial Spirit originate?”
“He said he received it through a contract with God, meaning it borrowed strength from the Throne of Chaos.”
I finally caught the drift of understanding as Lee Cheong-un added on.
“The Master realized the Primordial characteristics inherent in the chaotic essence, which has infinite potential. My speculation is that the Master recognized the Primordial Void contained within the chaotic powers he possessed.”
“You mean the Primordial Void is within chaos? What does that even mean?”
“That ties back to what I just said about the contradiction. If the Primordial Void isn’t contained within chaos, there would be no reason to even mention the emptiness of Buddhism.”
Lee Cheong-un intertwined his fingers.
“Most likely, the Master discovered one undeniable fact about the essence of the Primordial Void.”
“What fact is that?”
“The Primordial Void is eternal.”
“Excuse me?”
Lee Cheong-un emphasized strongly.
“In other words, it does not disappear. The chaotic powers borrowed from the ultimate Demon God—who can annihilate the Three Thousand Worlds with a single utterance—are what give rise to the Primordial Spirit. Thus, even though that chaos can extinguish energy merely by existing, the ultimate essence that doesn’t perish exists within that energy!”
“……!!”
“That is the essence of the Primordial Void. It’s also why the Master can’t wield the chaotic powers of the Primordial Spirit directly, but rather utilizes the Mind Control Techniques and various martial techniques.”
Once I grasped Lee Cheong-un’s words, I felt absurd.
“That… doesn’t make any sense, does it?”
Exactly. What Lee Cheong-un had just explained was an ultimate contradiction. Chaos, which obliterates everything, still retains the essence known as the Primordial Void, allowing the use of Qi. The notion that the Primordial Void resides within chaos essentially conveys this meaning.
Lee Cheong-un let out a small chuckle.
“It doesn’t make sense, but after contemplating the Master’s words for a year, that’s all I could surmise. The Master discovered that chaos and the Primordial Void can coexist. He indicated that through mastery of chaotic powers, one could command Qi and spirit simultaneously.”
“Hmm…”
“This also carries another massive implication.”
At this point, I finally started following Lee Cheong-un’s train of thought. I murmured the Master’s past words I had tucked away.
“[Understanding this, humans might transcend godhood.]…”
“That’s exactly it.”
Lee Cheong-un snapped his fingers enthusiastically.
“The Master realized that by merging chaos and the Primordial Void, one could temporarily acquire absolute power! With that power, humans could surpass gods!”
My face hardened as I spoke slowly.
“When the Master single-handedly took down three Great Immortals… And when he fought the Sword Master Yeodong-bin, you’re implying he transformed his body into chaos?”
“Exactly. The transformation the Master underwent was a fusion of chaos and the Primordial Void. It wasn’t the inherent power within the Primordial Spirit, but rather a transformation he developed through research!”
Lee Cheong-un clenched his fist.
“And I suspect this fusion form reflects the embodiment of emptiness. Thus, the Master used Buddhist theories as metaphors to describe that level.”
The pieces fit together. I had been pondering for so long about the Master transforming randomly into a form containing chaos—it was a speculative transformation in response to the fusion of chaotic and Primordial Void powers.
Meanwhile, Guk-ho, who had been listening, spoke up.
“But Grand Master, saying the Master of the White Lotus Sect surpassed gods sounds weak, doesn’t it?”
“Guk-ho.”
Guk-ho scratched his head.
“Sure, the Master’s powers during that 19th round were terrific, certainly on par with high-ranking gods or Demon Kings. But… he’s not truly at the level of the Old Ruler, is he?”
Internally, I agreed with Guk-ho’s words. True power of the Old Ruler would mean even with all sorts of divine powers, Yeodong-bin wouldn’t be able to subdue it. If it were possible, I would’ve already resorted to any means necessary to gather divine artifacts and went after the Sea God along with Yeodong-bin. But currently, even combined powers wouldn’t match the Sea God’s strength.
Lee Cheong-un shook his head.
“Think back to what strategy the Master employed then. He understood he couldn’t possibly handle the Celestial Realm alone, so he accepted the Old Ruler’s protection. He clearly knew the limits of his maximum power. This suggests that perhaps gaining that power through merging chaos and the Primordial Void will require a significantly long cultivation period.”
“A cultivation period, huh…”
“As for the details, we’d have to hear them from the Master himself, but I cannot help but find the Dharma Technique suspicious.”
“Dharma Technique?”
“The Master established a very consistent objective during your previous life adventures. Indeed, finding the Dharma Technique was always the priority, no matter the situation. I suspect that something lies beyond just saving the world.”
Lee Cheong-un spoke in a somewhat dry voice.
“The law of the Non-Birth Mother. Could it be that obtaining this law would grant immense powers? Perhaps the Master aimed to amplify his strength using the powers of the Dharma Technique to transcend the gods with a fusion of powers.”
“……!!”
Lee Cheong-un continued.
“Thus, Baek Woong and Guk-ho, pack your bags and let’s head out. I’ve already gathered all the intel from Zhuge Sa.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the home of Wang Shouren.”
“Why there…?”
“I don’t think it’s mere coincidence that the philosopher Heng Gu or Wang Shouren coincidentally advocated for the concepts of the Primordial Void. They definitely know something about chaos and the Primordial Void. We must have a direct conversation with Wang Shouren to fully clear our doubts about the Primordial Void.”
“If we clear our doubts…”
Thud!
Lee Cheong-un took a step and gazed at the sky.
With a voice full of conviction, he stated, “We, as humans, can also discover the techniques to merge chaos and the Primordial Void like the Master, enabling us to transcend the gods with our martial arts!”
