Chapter 373
Just because a power cannot be faced head-on doesn't make it 'absolute.'
If it's a power that cannot be confronted, then simply avoid it, simply let it flow past. After all, victory isn't about raw strength contests.
But the fist force visible before his eyes right now surpassed that level. The overwhelming presence was so crushing that just realizing such power was approaching him was enough to make every muscle in his body stiffen with rigidity.
Enough to make even Wei Yan-ho's body freeze momentarily.
Wei Yan-ho intuitively realized with certainty that the place he was now stepping into was uncharted territory.
Had he experienced higher realms than this?
Of course he had.
But he had never once faced an attack based on internal energy this intense and powerful.
Baek Mu-han's martial arts didn't require great internal energy. Because Baek Mu-han was someone who had no need for such things.
Whether it was because he didn't feel the need to do so, or perhaps because he worried the cave might collapse if he used excessive internal energy, Baek Mu-han had never once pressured Wei Yan-ho with internal force.
And that fact was now weighing down on Wei Yan-ho.
'What should I do?'
In that moment, something flashed through Wei Yan-ho's frozen mind like a ray of light.
"Internal energy?"
"Yes."
"Why's that?"
"It's necessary, isn't it?"
"You're stating the obvious. My disciple, this master sometimes comes to doubt your intelligence. How could you survive well in this treacherous martial world being so foolish?"
"Yes. Don't worry. Since I'm not going to leave my room anyway, what does it matter whether the martial world is treacherous or not?"
Thwack!
"Aaah!"
"A young fellow with nothing but nonsense to say!"
"Is there anyone in Master's eyes who isn't young right now? It's not that I'm young, it's just that Master is too old!"
"That statement has merit too. Your brain certainly works well in directions like this. It would be so nice if you used that brain for good purposes, but somehow you only have such a quick wit for these useless matters."
Wei Yan-ho puffed out his cheeks.
His life had always been accompanied by scolding, but the scolding Baek Mu-han gave had something subtly different from Wei Jeong-han's or Han Sang-ah's scolding—it had a peculiar way of scratching at one's insides.
"Right, internal energy… Internal energy is important."
"Then instead of making me do things like this, just give me some hidden elixir or something."
"…Elixir?"
"Yes. You must have some, right? You were the greatest under heaven, weren't you? And in the greatest family under heaven too."
"I was."
"Then does it make sense that you didn't prepare even a single elixir for raising a disciple? You must have hidden one somewhere obvious, so give it to me in advance. I'd become sturdier too, which would make training more effective, wouldn't it?"
"Hmm…"
"I won't run away. Even if I ate that, could I possibly escape from Master's hands?"
"Of course that would be impossible. But unfortunately for you, I don't have any hidden elixirs."
"Come on, don't joke around."
"I'm serious."
"…Really?"
"Of course."
Wei Yan-ho's face turned bright red.
"No way! Didn't Master even read hero novels? In those, the protagonist who falls into a cave eats pre-arranged elixirs like they're iron bars and learns secret techniques to become a master! You should have prepared in advance! What were you doing at your age! Not preparing even one thing like that… Gaaaah!"
Wei Yan-ho, who had been punched by a stone fist, rolled around on the ground and then collapsed flat on his stomach with his limbs spread out like a frog. Watching Wei Yan-ho trembling, Baek Mu-han clicked his tongue.
"Where do you get off raising your voice to your master?"
"Ugh."
"Hey, you brat! Among all the masters in those novels, is there anyone stronger than me?"
"…No."
"Then why should I follow their methods! I have my own way."
Of course you do.
Wei Yan-ho swallowed his tears.
It wasn't that he was wrong. It was just wrong that someone more extreme than novels existed in reality.
"Does martial arts become stronger just because internal energy increases? Then why bother training at all? You might as well just climb mountains. If you think eating elixirs and strengthening internal energy will make you a master, then herb gatherers would be the strongest."
"…Well, ordinary herb gatherers can't find elixirs, so that's why."
"Do elixirs have legs? Why can't they find them? Are the elixirs circulating in the market picked and sold by Shaolin? They're all found by herbalists."
"…"
"Strong internal energy is good. But internal energy isn't everything. Internal energy that hasn't been perfectly digested and made one's own will inevitably create gaps."
"Gaps?"
"Right. For example… think of a massive wave coming toward you."
"Why a wave specifically?"
"You'll often feel that way later. No matter how much I explain now, it's useless. Anyway, think about it."
"Yes."
"The more violent that wave becomes, what happens?"
"It gets stronger."
"You foolish boy! Don't gaps appear?"
"…Master."
"Hm?"
"I know this isn't very likely. Of course, since Master is a ghost, I know this won't happen, but…"
"What, you brat? Speak."
"…Do you have dementia?"
Wei Yan-ho dodged the flying stone fist by throwing his body aside.
"No way! You have to say things that make sense! How can gaps appear when a wave is violent?"
"Tsk tsk, look at this foolish boy. Look here. The water that creates a wave normally fills up less than half of that space tightly packed. That water moves violently and occupies more space, doesn't it?"
"Huh?"
"Since the same amount occupies more space, naturally it becomes loose and gaps appear. Don't you even know such basic things?"
"Uh, um… I think that's a problem the National Academy should solve, not me."
"Blockhead."
Baek Mu-han clicked his tongue.
"If you don't understand, then memorize it. Being violent means having that many gaps. Just because something looks strong doesn't mean it's actually strong. If someday you face an attack based on excessive internal energy, don't be fooled by its power—you must look for the gaps."
"…"
"There's no perfect martial art in the world. Since it can't be perfect, everyone develops their own characteristics further. But conversely, such martial arts inevitably have gaps. If gapless martial arts compete with gapped martial arts, the outcome is obvious."
"Ah, I get this. This is, um… what Buddhism calls a hwadu (teaching question), right?"
"Hwadu?"
"Grasping at clouds nonsense."
Crack.
A bone-cracking sound echoed from the boneless fist.
"Right, it might have been difficult for you. You certainly lack comprehension. Yes…"
"…Could you please not come closer while speaking? Honestly, it's a bit scary…"
"I forgot for a moment. You were quick to learn through your body. Let me show you what my words mean. Now, I'm going to beat you very intensely! Ve~ry intensely. So you just need to calmly find the gaps in my intense attacks."
"…What?"
"Let's feel it with your body! With your body!"
Looking at Baek Mu-han's gleaming eyes, Wei Yan-ho smiled awkwardly.
"By, by chance… what happens if I can't find them?"
"You won't die."
"That's just legally beating me up!"
"Good that you understand! Come here, you rotten brat!"
Even as the vague memory surfaced, Wei Yan-ho couldn't smile.
The current situation was too serious to laugh at memories alone. Wei Yan-ho looked at the fist force of the Mad Blood Demon rushing toward him with sunken eyes.
'Strong things have gaps.'
Master never spoke incorrectly. If Master said so, then it must be so. But whether he could find those gaps depended entirely on Wei Yan-ho.
The Mad Blood Demon Face howled.
As if in agony, as if filled with rage, watching the howling Demon Face made one side of his chest sink coldly. Those demonic arts certainly had something that made people feel fear.
That's why he needed to be even calmer.
Wei Yan-ho, who had controlled his mind and entered the realm of Budongshim (Unmoving Mind), quietly stared at the fist force flying toward him. His clothes fluttered as if they might tear, and his tied hair whipped about wildly. But only Wei Yan-ho's sword tip and Wei Yan-ho's eyes showed not an inch of wavering.
Perhaps the greatest legacy Baek Mu-han left Wei Yan-ho was making him face countless cliffs so impossibly high that their peaks couldn't even be seen.
Compared to those despairing cliffs, this much was nothing.
Wei Yan-ho slowly extended his sword forward.
Before the massive fist force that seemed capable of toppling even Mount Tai, Wei Yan-ho's gesture appeared utterly insignificant.
The sword aimed at the approaching Mad Blood Demon Face at a speed so slow it seemed incapable of catching even a fly.
"Yan-ho!"
A desperate voice could be heard.
But Wei Yan-ho didn't waver. Wavering meant creating gaps.
Master had said so. If gapless martial arts compete with gapped martial arts, the outcome is obvious. That meant his martial arts must also eliminate gaps.
The Mad Blood Demon Face's fist force struck Wei Yan-ho. At that moment, Wei Yan-ho quietly thrust his sword forward.
Faint white light.
The faint white light positioned at his sword tip pierced into the Mad Blood Demon Face.
'What?'
The Mad Blod Demon Face that seemed ready to strike Wei Yan-ho and tear his flesh like paper stopped its movement. As if all its previous ferocity had been a lie.
Wuuuung.
Then light began to spread.
Dim light leaked out from within the pitch-black Demon Face's sword force.
A sizzling sound seemed to be heard.
Cracks appeared here and there on the Demon Face, and through those gaps, blindingly brilliant light began to leak out.
It was a scene beyond common sense.
'Magnificent.'
Kwaaaaaaah!
Like a massive waterfall pouring down, with tremendous noise, masses of light burst out madly from within theMad Blood Demon Face.
Jang-il's eyes widened.
It was a sight unbelievable even while seeing it with his own eyes.
But the eyes of Wei Yan-ho, who was creating that sight, were sunken colder than ever.
He had to maintain an Unmoving Mind until the very last moment.
Kwaaaaang!
Finally, with an explosive sound, the sword force that had been striking him was surrounded by brilliant masses of light and disappeared.
Just as a brief moment of relief was about to greet him.
"Well done, little one."
A chilling voice pierced his ears.
"But that's not the end!"
Wei Yan-ho saw it.
Countless Demon Faces visible behind the flickering masses of light.
Gwangma Hyeonshim [TL/N: Mad Blood Demon Manifestation.]
Black demonic energy that seemed to be burning drew the shapes of countless beasts and poured down toward Wei Yan-ho.
'Stay calm… '
The sword pierced the beasts. Piercing again and again.
But the number of fist forces pouring down was far greater than the speed at which Wei Yan-ho could thrust his sword.
"Uaaaaaaah!"
Demon Face fist forces poured down like rain onto Wei Yan-ho's body as he swung his sword and let out shouts.
Kwaaaang! Kwaaaaaaang!
Massive explosive sounds like the sky collapsing erupted and swept away everything around.
Rumbling!
Startled by the waves of that power, even the approaching dark clouds began pouring down rod-like rain.
The world was engulfed in darkness.