743 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The World's Greatest Martial Artist's Childhood Friend: Chapter 743 - Northern Rabbit The Touapa Heaven-breaking Martial Art. A grandiose name, suggesting the creation of the heavens. When one considers “five moves to break the heavens,” it seems like this is the proud naming intention of Pajeon. Create the heavens. And shatter them. I don't know the deeper meaning, but compared to the first three moves—each being single-strike techniques—"Creation of Heaven" is not meant for attack. If it had to be compared, it's like the process of utilizing the heat from Supreme Flame Wheel Technique to invigorate the body. It’s somewhat similar, one might say. The Touapa Heaven-breaking Martial Art was the easiest way to reach transcendence through an artificial rebirth of sorts. The fourth move, Creation of Heaven, was an extension of it. An artificial realm of absolute tranquility. The progression through a moment that martial artists typically experience once for enlightenment. Creating an artificial touch to that state. That is the Creation of Heaven. With just one move, unnecessary thoughts are erased and hesitation vanishes, allowing energy to naturally flow throughout the body. The energy moves more freely, naturally strengthening the power of martial arts. This signifies a form of physical awakening. Though it feels like the power doubles. The problem is... “The recoil doubles too.” The crazily efficient technique, which doubles the strength of martial arts, naturally comes with intense drawbacks. At first, I wondered what kind of insane technique this was. But after using it, I understood. Use it wrong, and it could kill you. This was the warning Pajeon gave me when I first succeeded. To use it as a last resort. And never from the start. He warned me to be cautious until I got used to it. I could understand his warning after deploying Creation of Heaven. Even the Touapa Heaven-breaking Martial Art is painfully taxing, but the recoil from Creation of Heaven was incomparable. Using it once and following up with the first technique left me bedridden for three days. And it only took one strike. Nonetheless... Even though the recoil is terribly severe, this also means it comes with tremendous firepower at the moment of use. Thanks to that... “Cough.” Even while coughing up blood, I could feel some relief. “Phew… dammit.” I wiped the blood staining my lips. At the same time, I looked straight ahead. The scene hadn't changed significantly. The ground was still drenched in a dark ink-like shade, and darkness surrounded everywhere. Not much different from the beginning. However... "…How astonishing." Looking at the old man in front, I got up. My chest felt hollow. The old man had a gaping hole in his torso. This was the result of the Touamu Fist combined with the Creation of Heaven. "When did it begin?" The old man asked. Hearing the question, I tilted my head. “What are you speaking of?” "I know that this wasn't just an act of instinct or coincidence. From when did you plan this?" “…?" Since when, you ask? Well, obviously... “From the very beginning.” … From the moment I challenged the old man to fight, up until now when it ends—everything was calculated. Ah, except for that matter regarding senior Dang Jemun. That wasn't part of the plan. But aside from that, everything unfolded as intended. Except... 'I didn’t predict everything, just prepared many scenarios.' I had predicted and prepared for several behaviors of the old man. And simply acted accordingly. I am aware of the existence of the Mystic. The effects of the Mystic seem not so different from reality. First, I assumed that. 'Ten opportunities.' I thought of the ten chances the old man gave me. Is it a being that can be reached through attacking with all my strength ten times? 'No.' Not even close. I always reminded myself to objectively assess my capabilities thoroughly. Whether the old man is real or not, he is a being I cannot defeat. So, what must I do? 'I have to make it possible for me to win.' If I cannot win, I must find a way for victory to become achievable. Hence, I thought. Why don't I utilize those ten chances differently? For that purpose, the first seven strikes were meant to demonstrate my full power. There must be no acting. The opponent would notice it. I had to truly attack with full strength, and indeed I did. This much is the extent of my capabilities. I ensured the opponent would 'recognize' this. To be honest, it did hurt my pride. ‘It was my full strength, yet I couldn’t even singe his clothing!’ For all the wrestling in past and present lives, not even singeing the old man's clothing—such a damnable life. But there’s no choice. Even if it’s hellish, a path must be found. Seven. Using seven out of ten, the opponent was bound to realize. That this is my limit of strength. If this succeeded, from the eighth attempt, I introduced anomalies. To crush any lingering doubts, I had to create unpredictable results myself. I'm capable of more than just utilizing flame energy. There's another energy I possess. The reason for using the Touapa Heaven-breaking Martial Art was precisely that. To make them recognize, introduce an anomaly, and induce confusion. Making sure they couldn't think quickly, showing that I am doing my utmost. That's how I used up ten chances. Truthfully, the main reason was singular. ‘I needed to ensure that old man was unaware of my Mystic abilities.’ If asked why not hide the Mystic from the start, one might say... ‘The old man already stated he’d been watching me.’ He was already aware of the divine energy of Noya residing in my body. There is a possibility he might know about the Mystic too. Thus, doing it this way was quicker. Plan upon plan, fight upon fight. Even if it meant fighting dirtily, this is the correct path. While there may be no honor in a brawl, survival ensures its presence. To me, that is what’s most important. "Ha ha… how extraordinary." The old man chuckled, a mix of admiration evident in his laughter. Whoosh. “...!” I then saw the old man's body gradually restoring itself. Was this all for nothing? Given his spiritual nature, he wouldn’t truly die, but still, isn't this a bit unfair? When I contemplated my next course of action... "You win." The old man declared to me with a smile. "I concede. I lost and you have won." “...” In the end, the old man acknowledged his defeat. Thud. "Phew…." Only then did my body collapse to the ground, releasing a long-held breath. "Gosh, it really wore me out...." Releasing a weary sigh mixed with lamentation, the old man nodded slightly in response. “Do you believe me so easily? How do you know I'm not spouting nonsense?” “Well, you were the one who said it, weren't you?” “Hmm?” “You said you can tell through clashing swords. It's no different for me.” The old man isn’t one to spew nonsense. It was evident from our recent exchange. “Though you seem crafty, there are aspects of you that are quite unique. An interesting fellow, indeed.” “I hear that a lot.” “Well then, young one.” “Yes?” “The last thing you mentioned, what was it again?” “What?” “The part about Dang Jemun being a woman.” “Oh.” - Dang Jemun is a woman. It was a bluff to buy time for the Creation of Heaven. This was a real gamble. I was lucky it worked; otherwise, it would've ended there. Recalling this, I chuckled and responded, “Who knows?” “…Huh?” That was my way of saying I had no intention to answer. The old man, puzzled by my response, wore a look of disbelief. Seeing him, I moved my hand. With a flick—! The binding Mystic released, transforming into a bandage-like form, and I tossed it to the old man. Thud. The bandage rolled to a stop in the old man's hand. “Thanks for the use.” […] The look in the old man's eyes was peculiar as he gazed at the returned Mystic. “Young one.” “I’m listening.” “You said I am your reincarnation?” “Well, that's what they say.” I stood up again. My whole body ached. The recoil was gradually setting in. Even in a place governed by one's mental state, pain remains consistent. What will it be like when I return to where I was? I found myself briefly curious. “Looking at the Mystic… perhaps it’s true.” Did seeing the Mystic convince him? “How strange that you’re not a child of Mount Hua.” “…” Those words were profound. It was something I’d heard often. When I learned I was the reincarnation of Shin Noya... In the past, Huang Ap Bulyoung had remarked on Noya. He had failed. Noya should have been reborn in Mount Hua but had failed and became a spirit. Witnessing this, Huang Ap Bulyoung despaired. That is how significant the matter was. “Young one. Then…” “Hold on a moment.” I cut off the old man's words and raised my hand. “Sorry, but isn’t it my turn to ask questions? Why are you sliding in questions?” The winner was supposed to ask the questions. Yet, the old man kept probing me. Finding this absurd, I spoke up. “Oh, I’ve been caught.” The old man smirked, as if he found it regrettable. Was he doing this knowingly all along? I couldn’t believe it. How could a taoist be so shameless? Frowning, I promptly asked him. “Who exactly are you?” It was finally my turn. “As I mentioned from the start, I am of Mount Hua…” “That’s not what I’m asking.” “Then what do you mean?” “I’ve already met the true Mount Hua's Sword Saint.” “…What?” “Oh no, it wasn’t you. It was someone else.” The moment I mentioned Shin Noya, the old man’s reaction was intense. Watching his reaction, I continued my explanation. Though not in full detail, I summarized my experiences from meeting Shin Noya until now. It led to... “…What in the world.” There was evident confusion in the old man's response. “That’s the reason I can’t truly believe you are the real Mount Hua's Sword Saint.” […] “…Circumstantially, you seem to be the real Mount Hua's Sword Saint….” The circumstances and evidence all fit. The Bi-Go of Shaanxi? The logic was sound. But still. “No matter how much I ponder, I can't fully believe you’re the real one. Who are you really?” For some reason, the old man in front didn’t seem like the true one. Who exactly are you, then? Why are you here? When asked these questions, the old man’s response was... […] Initially, it was silence. Whether he was gathering thoughts or was profoundly shocked, or perhaps both, I had no certainty. Yet, I waited for the old man's response. For some reason, it felt necessary. As I waited for quite some time, “I see.” The old man finally spoke in a calm voice. “So that’s how it was.” His words carried a faint sorrow that was hard to place. “Young one.” “Yes?” “You mentioned that the Shincheol you know doesn’t recall his end.” “Yes.” That was the nature of Shin Noya’s memories. Right after the Blood Demon was sealed. He lived his life as the head of the sect. Suddenly one day, he awoke sealed within a ghostly vessel. That wasn’t all. Noya’s memories were fragmented. There were so many gaps. With time, he seemed to realize certain things, but his situation was different from the old man before me. “Hearing that, now I understand.” “What do you mean?” “There was always a part that puzzled me.” The old man took a step forward and came closer. “Young one. Do you know where this place is?” “...Here?” A floor covered in dark ink, with black energy filling the sky. “I have no idea.” It wasn’t a place I recognized. I had assumed it was a mere space within the mind. The old man's answer to this was: “This is Mount Hua.” “What?” His answer was quite shocking. “…What did you say?” Mount Hua? Hearing this, I glanced around. What kind of nonsense is that? How could this possibly be Mount Hua? I’ve been to Mount Hua before, so I know. It’s a mountain filled with vibrant flowers and blue hues. The scent of plum blossoms always fills the air, drawing martial artists to admire its beauty. Frowning, considering my knowledge, the old man continued. “To be precise… it is the Mount Hua that once was.” His voice was filled with sorrow. “You said this world had successfully sealed the Blood Demon.” “...Yes.” Though the sealing wasn’t entirely successful, and the Blood Demon did roam around, it had been accomplished, so I answered that way. In response, the old man smiled bitterly. “I see.” “What’s troubling you?” “Nothing. I had hopes, only to realize it was merely a dream.” With a gentle rustle, the old man sank to the floor. As he sank to the ground, ripples spread over the water's surface. They were gentle waves. “It was strange. There was no way I could have possibly encountered a child of Mount Hua. It seems I let myself be swept up in dreams of hope. How embarrassing…” “…Excuse me, but what are you saying…?” “We couldn’t stop the Blood Demon.” “What?” The old man's words left me speechless, just as irritation was about to rise from their bewildering nature. I couldn't help it. “We… ultimately failed to stop the Blood Demon. This place is Mount Hua, destroyed by its hand.” The revelation was a shock.