The two alliance leaders gaped at the “provisions” Yeon Cheon Baek had brought.
At a glance, it looked like food for several weeks.
“W-what is all this?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’? Provisions.”
“Do we need this much? That’s not an amount we can finish in two days.”
“Who said two days?”
“Pardon?”
“You’re spending two months with us.”
“Pardon?”
What was that supposed to mean?
“T-two months? We have to appear at the preliminaries the day after tomorrow.”
“Heh heh heh. You’ll be back by then, so don’t worry.”
None of it made sense.
They tilted their heads, unable to understand—
Zzwoooong—
With a sound like something being unfurled, space began to ripple.
A wave of dizziness washed over them.
What was that?
They’d seen him set up a formation—
Was this its effect?
The two looked to Yeon Woo Jin.
Reading their faces—hungry for an explanation—he smiled and obliged.
“It’s a Time-Space Division Formation. One day out there becomes one month in here.”
What kind of talk was that?
One day outside equals a month inside?
How could that make sense?
They’d never heard anything like it in their lives.
“W-what do you mean? Explain so we can understand.”
“I just did.”
They’d heard the explanation.
That didn’t mean they understood it.
“All right, no time to waste. Into the circle—now.”
They followed his gesture to a ring etched with strange patterns.
They traded looks.
Go in—or not?
A bark cracked down.
“Move. Now!”
“Y-yes! Yes!”
Startled, they hopped into the circle.
Once they were in, Yeon Woo Jin spoke.
“Now—match my posture.”
They clumsily mimicked the stance he struck.
Perhaps fed up, Yeon Cheon Baek strode over and forced their bodies into place.
“You idiots! You think that and this are the same stance? This bends like this!”
Crack!
“Gyaaaah!”
“I-it hurts! It hurts!”
“Endure it. This is for your own good!”
“Gk—!”
Under Yeon Cheon Baek’s brute “corrections,” their bodies twisted into grotesque shapes.
Tap, tap—
After warping them into those contortions, he dusted off his hands and winked at Yeon Woo Jin.
Yeon Woo Jin winked back.
Grandfather and grandson were perfectly in sync.
Yeon Woo Jin asked,
“Anywhere uncomfortable?”
“Plenty!”
“Can’t you see? Anyone can see this posture is unbearable!”
“H-hurry and release us!”
Smiling at their outcry, Yeon Woo Jin said,
“Your form is set. We’ll begin now. It’ll hurt a little.”
Hurt?
They were already in pain.
Wum wum wum—
As the formation activated, a vibration wrapped their bodies.
Their already grotesque contortions twisted further.
As if testing the limits of how far a human body could bend.
Naturally, the pain surged with it.
“Gyaaaaaaah!”
“Gkkk—!”
Chilling screams tore from their throats.
Crack—
Pop—
The sounds of joints warping amplified the horror.
“S-spare us!”
“S-stop! Stop!”
Their swelling howls filled the formation.
****
Three days had ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) passed inside the formation.
They said man adapts to any environment; it was true.
The two alliance leaders had grown used to the pain.
So used that they could sleep inside the formation.
What tormented them now wasn’t the pain—it was not knowing how long they would have to keep doing this wretched thing.
“It’s already the third day. Can you truly believe time flows differently in here and out there?”
“What choice do we have but to believe it? Disbelieving won’t change a thing. We’re practically captives.”
“True enough. Still—how long must we hold these bizarre poses?”
“Exactly. I’m starving to death. All we’ve had in three days are a few Fasting Pills .”
“Weren’t you listening? We have to purge stale impurities from the body, so it’s only Fasting Pills for a while.”
“Hah... Will this truly make us stronger?”
“I don’t know. Let’s think of one good thing—at least there’s no more pain. The last two days were hell.”
“Agreed. At least a torture asks questions—this was nothing but enduring pain without end, which made it worse.”
“Since that pain’s passed, let’s take comfort in that.”
“Let’s.”
They fell silent when Yeon Woo Jin came into view.
They watched him tensely.
He approached and examined their bodies, asking this and that.
“How do you feel? Any pain anywhere?”
“No. The pain’s gone now.”
“Is that so? Then we can begin in earnest.”
“Pardon?”
“Begin what?”
“I’ll explain now. The formation I’ve used on you two is called the Yoga Tendon-Reversing Formation. It’s a method from Tianzhu used to fortify the body.”
“Yoga Tendon-Reversing Formation? I’ve heard of it.”
“As have I. I remember seeing it in my studies to grow stronger.”
“Come to think of it, these grotesque poses are the very ones I saw in that book.”
“Hoh... To think mere poses make one stronger. Hard to believe.”
They answered with wonder at his explanation.
“So—is the Yoga Tendon-Reversing Formation finished?”
“No. It starts now.”
“Starts... now? But the pain is gone.”
“That pain was conditioning—because what’s coming is so intense, you needed to adapt. Now that you’ve adapted, you’ll endure what’s next.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“You’re saying an even worse pain than what we endured is waiting?”
“Yes. Growing stronger is never easy. Right?”
Smiling like it wasn’t his problem, he made them want to plant a fist in his face.
Did he read their minds?
“If you come through safely, I’ll spar with you,” Yeon Woo Jin said.
“Truly?”
“Yes. You may attack me with everything you have.”
“You might get hurt.”
“It’s fine. From your faces, you’re dying to plant a fist in mine—so do it.”
They flinched.
“All right, let’s begin.”
“W-wait—”
They weren’t mentally prepared.
Light flared underfoot as the formation shone.
At the same time, muscles and joints began to torque.
Crack—
Crrrk—crrrk—
“Gkkk—!”
A torrent of agony crashed over them, so overwhelming that every pain they had ever known felt like a tickle.
If someone asked for the alliance’s deepest secrets now, they would spill them in an instant.
If only it would end this pain.
But the pain did not ebb.
It grew—stronger by the moment.
In the midst of that extremity, the two leaders vowed again and again.
They would plant their fists in Yeon Woo Jin’s face—no matter what.
****
Yeon Cheon Baek watched their suffering with delight.
“Heh heh heh. Now those faces look a little like men.”
Then he asked Yeon Woo Jin,
“Well? How far can those brats go?”
“Both have kept up steady training, so farther than you’d think. At minimum, I expect at least the Ninth Star of the Manifestation Realm.”
“Ninth Star of the Manifestation Realm... A bit underwhelming.”
“If I tune their martial arts, they’ll be stronger.”
“Of course. The world ought to know how hard our Woo Jin works.”
“They don’t have to. So long as things stay peaceful like now.”
At that, Yeon Cheon Baek ruffled his hair.
“Good lad. Don’t let that heart change.”
“Yes.”
“This is why I founded Martial Deity Heaven. For the world to be at peace, someone with overwhelming power has to be standing firm.”
“I think so too.”
“Hah hah hah. Do you? But mere existence isn’t enough. You have to show that overwhelming power from time to time.”
“Yes.”
Satisfied with the answer, he smiled.
A child who would do it right without being nagged.
There was no longer any need to worry about the future of Martial Deity Heaven.
Because Yeon Woo Jin existed.
Who knew it could be this happy, this joyous, to have a flawless heir—
And for that heir to be his own blood.
He was happy.
Happy enough to die without regret this instant.
“No—that won’t do. I can’t die yet. I’ll hold on and keep holding on, watch our Woo Jin marry, and see great-grandchildren too.”
When Yeon Woo Jin gazed at him steadily, Yeon Cheon Baek cocked his head.
“What is it?”
“You should train.”
“Hm? Me?”
“Yes.”
“You brat. Let this old man rest.”
“No.”
“Do you even know what realm this old man is in, to tell me to train?”
“You’re Seventh Star of the Mythic Realm.”
“Right. That realm is unprecedented. Frankly, even at Third Star there was no one who could be my match, and now I’m Seventh—Seventh. And you still want me to train?”
“Yes.”
“Have mercy on this old man.”
“No. You need to grow stronger.”
“Beyond this?”
“Yes. That’s the only way I can be at ease.”
“What makes you so uneasy?”
“I don’t know. I have a feeling the Demonic Cult isn’t the end.”
“Not the end?”
“It’s just a feeling. And it makes me uneasy.”
For Yeon Woo Jin—of all people—to feel unease—
Yeon Cheon Baek trusted his grandson’s instincts.
“Very well. Fine. Let’s train. Will this place do?”
“Yes. I’ve sealed everything so impacts inside can’t leak out.”
“Good. Shall we?”
“Yes.”
****
Tzzzhang—
Cheng! Cheng!
Tukakakak—
Two figures moved at speeds the eye couldn’t follow.
Each aerial clash rippled shockwaves, making the formation shiver.
“Huff—huff! Brat, you’ll be the death of me.”
“You look spry.”
“Go easy.”
“If I go easy, it’s pointless.”
“And you come at me like your life depends on it?”
“That’s how you grow stronger. You told me so—only fights that brush life and death make you stronger.”
“Why did I ever say that?”
He regretted it.
What good was Seventh Star of the Mythic Realm—
He was hard-pressed just to block Yeon Woo Jin’s attacks.
“By the way, how far have you opened the Transcendence Gate ?”
“I’ve opened Five Gates.”
“Only Five? Weren’t there Nine?”
“Yes.”
“How many do you open against others—not me?”
“Against Ma Ryang, Cheon Ho Seong, and Uncle Jeok Seong, up to Three Gates.”
“Nggh... I wonder if anyone in this world can force you to open all Nine.”
He was still growing.
Look—
Even with Five Gates open, he handled Yeon Cheon Baek with ease.
No sign of fatigue.
While Yeon Cheon Baek was breathing hard.
To be pushed this far at Seventh Star of the Mythic Realm—
“How far must this old man climb before you’re satisfied?”
“Mm. At the very least, you have to surpass the Mythic Realm.”
“...What?”
Beyond the Mythic Realm lay an unknown expanse.
No one had set foot there.
It didn’t even have a name.
If one had to name it, having surpassed the human condition to reach the state of an immortal, perhaps—Immortal Realm.
He worried he might actually ascend.
He still wanted to remain in this world for a long time, watching Yeon Woo Jin.
“And if this old man ascends, what then? Beyond this, I might not be human. I could become an immortal and depart—are you fine with that?”
Yeon Woo Jin smiled.
“You think I’d let you go? Absolutely not.”