* * *
Martial artists who have reached the pinnacle of their internal cultivation are often big eaters.
It is not only because they expend immense energy through martial arts. Food is the refined essence of natural energy.
Just as those of noble birth or the practitioners of Buddhist and Taoist disciplines digest elixirs with their cultivated power, those who have mastered the grand circulation of internal energy treat every meal as a form of subtle medicine.
A diet that continues through refined energy storage, consuming everything without leaving a single trace behind.
This was the reason why even humble sects, with limited access to precious medicines, could still produce supreme masters.
'Even so, one must still retain enough nutrients to maintain physical strength...'
Jung Yeonshin pondered while seated in a modest yet elegant guest room.
The scent characteristic of a monastery lingered gently in the air.
Opposite him sat a gaunt female monk, her unreadable gaze fixed upon him.
On either side of her, three elderly monks sat, appearing to be of similar age.
They were monks of the Emei Sect, all of them nuns.
—I truly did not expect the one called the Dark Flame King to be this young. They say he even reversed time through a complete transformation.
—Rumor has it that he is barely ten, perhaps eleven or twelve at most. He has not even reached adulthood.
—This is about the duel. Is it not too much of a burden for the young benefactor to bear? No matter how powerful his martial arts or how high his status may be, standing among the leaders of great sects... It is truly regrettable.
—It stirs pity. Sister's words are true.
—The demeanor of the sect leader is concerning. She rarely softens her words.
—I have heard that the youngest black-rank of the Desolate Fortress carries the thickest bloodline of his grandfather. The Tyrant Hero, they say.
A soft wave of energy brushed past Jung Yeonshin's ears, fading away like a sigh.
It was the monks' transmitted speech, normally an esoteric form of sealed whispering, bound by structured energy flow, but Jung Yeonshin's upper dantian effortlessly unraveled its internal energy structure, translating it into thought.
The fault lay with his upper dantian.
Unlike its owner, it was insatiably curious. This was not Jung Yeonshin's intention. He was certain of that.
'It's the Baihui Acupoint causing trouble.'
Instead, Jung Yeonshin found himself more concerned about the Grandmaster of Emei Sect sitting before him.
A body like bare bones wrapped in the thinnest layer of flesh. Compared to the rugged physiques of the Shaolin monks he had met, she was a stark contrast. Even considering her advanced age—easily over sixty—she was far too frail.
It was at that moment.
Without warning, Baek Yak spoke.
"Is there something you wish to say?"
Despite her gaunt appearance, her voice was firm. The immense depth of her accumulated energy was enough to make the very air tremble momentarily.
It was then that Jung Yeonshin noticed the monastic marks imprinted on her forehead. Nine in total. Those red dots symbolized the highest status of martial monks in Sichuan.
The only other monks in the martial world bearing the same number of marks were the Abbot of Shaolin and the Chief Monk of the Potala Palace in the Western Regions.
A true supreme master of the Orthodox sects.
"Was it not you who summoned me, Master? Please, speak your mind."
Jung Yeonshin replied politely. He regarded her as a venerable senior monk, not simply as one of the supreme figures of the martial world.
As the surrounding monks of Emei Sect flinched slightly, Baek Yak, her face expressionless, spoke.
"I was merely curious about your thoughts."
"…?"
"I have made my decision. Benefactor Jung, you are not a suitable participant for this martial tournament."
"And why is that?"
Jung Yeonshin subtly straightened his posture.
Earlier, he had overheard the Emei monks discussing his age, but his shoulders had broadened considerably since his transformation, proving his maturity.
"A moment ago, I faintly sensed the energy flowing in from outside. It was astonishingly auspicious."
"Is this because of the leader of the Golden Wings Sect?"
Baek Yak nodded slightly.
"Auspicious energies felt by human perception must share an essential resonance. Be it the power of Buddhist and Taoist cultivators or the aura of divine creatures, if there were no common thread, we would not categorize them together as auspicious."
"That makes sense."
"The Heavenly Dragon Slaughtering Art is a supreme technique that shatters the energy of demonic beings. Its essence lies in slaying Flood Dragons. Any being with a sacred or spiritual power should rightfully avoid the leader of the Golden Wings Sect."
The Heavenly Dragon Slaughtering Art of the leader of Golden Wings Sect.
Jung Yeonshin had heard the same explanations countless times.
A martial technique designed explicitly to hunt and kill Flood Dragons, the pinnacle of divine creatures. Moreover, Baek Yak had firsthand experience facing the leader of Golden Wings Sect.
"My Avalokiteshvara's Golden Summit Vajra Energy was shattered in three kicks. So I countered with Tiger Subduing Palm, only for her to meet it with an open-handed strike. Not even allowing me the space to accumulate energy."
She spoke with a calm, measured tone.
"That was Heaven-Flipping Dragon Cleave. In the blink of an eye, a thunderous shockwave surged forth, stripping away my entire protective energy."
"The main temple of our sect was also blown away, as if it had been struck by a barrage of firebombs…"
One of the elder monks beside her added.
The temple of Emei Sect, that would be the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
A place of great historical significance.
So many small Buddha statues were enshrined there that even devotees from outside Sichuan would flock to the temple just to pay respects.
It was also renowned for being comparable in size to a grand palace.
"The Heaven-Flipping Dragon Cleave of the leader of Golden Wings Sect, cultivated through the Heavenly Dragon Slaughtering Art, was originally meant to shatter the scales of Flood Dragons. This time, I experienced its true power firsthand."
"…"
"A practitioner of Buddhist and Taoist internal arts must not attempt to withstand such an attack. This is a fact known across the martial world, and thus, should the young benefactor choose to avoid the leader of Golden Wings Sect, no one would dare find fault. I have already discussed this with the leader of Qingcheng Sect, so I hope that, rather than facing the leader of Golden Wings Sect, you will take on another opponent in the duel."
Jung Yeonshin remained silent for a moment.
Among the Nine Great Sects, none had left an unimpressive impression on him, yet this was the first time he had been treated as a mere child. Even though his outward appearance had fully matured.
'The monks of Emei are truly compassionate.'
The tightly wound resolve he had carried, to avenge Obeying Heaven Squad's leader Ha Do-un, momentarily loosened.
But the leader of Golden Wings Sect, who had sacrificed people in a ritual formation, had to die by his hands.
"…"
While Baek Yak observed him in silence, the monks beside her continued their whispered conversations through transmitted speech.
Each one expressed confusion.
Given the Sect Leader's personality, it would be expected for her to cut the discussion short with a single sentence. Yet, here she was, trying to persuade the Radiant Demon Squad's leader. It was unusual.
They also murmured about the mysterious energy she had sensed from him earlier.
Then, suddenly, Baek Yak spoke.
"You have a wise face, yet your stubbornness remains."
"This duel was my idea."
Jung Yeonshin answered calmly.
"You obstructed the leader of Golden Wings Sect recently. If you recklessly step forward, then the leaders of Ten Perfections and the Pure Demon Alliance will surely hold back, waiting for her to be called."
Baek Yak stated, her tone absolute.
Jung Yeonshin tilted his head slightly in thought.
"I merely seized a single formation, nothing difficult or significant."
"Was it not a Flood Dragon Ritual Formation?"
"There was no countermeasure in place to prevent its destruction. It must not have been that important. They'll have another formation ready soon enough."
"…I have never seen her face a sworn enemy before."
"Then, by your reasoning, who will fight the leader of the Golden Wings Sect? The Taoist masters of Qingcheng Sect are known for infusing their sword techniques with divine energy."
Jung Yeonshin asked. The implication was clear—no matter who faced her, the outcome would be the same.
Swish.
Baek Yak rolled a large string of prayer beads between her fingers, her face indifferent, embodying the presence of an absolute master of the Orthodox sects.
"I shall be the one to step forward."
"…?"
"This duel is not a continuous duel format. Even if I am slain by the leader of the Golden Wings Sect, it will still serve to blunt the momentum of the demonic faction."
She was saying she would willingly throw away her life. It was not something one would expect to hear from the leader of a sect, someone who, as a master of orthodox martial arts, was expected to live long. Jung Yeonshin's eyes darkened.
"Are you suggesting an exchange of lives?"
"The Desolate Fortress is already engaged in battle with multiple members of the Thirteen Celestial Demons, and in recent times, famine has worsened drastically. Because of this, the actions of the demonic faction have crossed all limits... If we do not sever their momentum here, the people of Sichuan will be burdened with an unending cycle of suffering for the rest of their lives."
To vanquish evil and uphold righteousness, to exterminate demons and eradicate wickedness.
At this moment, Baek Yak was not just a Buddhist monk but a warrior of the martial world. She saw this life-and-death duel as a decisive event that would determine the fate of the land.
"Benefactor, please understand. My defeat at the hands of the leader of Golden Wings Sect was not simply because my martial skills were lacking. Regardless of compatibility, these eyes have clearly recorded her divine technique."
"…"
"There is no chance of victory. It is only right that this old monk departs first."
Her voice filled the guest room with solemnity.
Even though there was no force imbued in her words, the weight they carried was palpable. It was the unique resonance of a master who had perfected their divine martial arts, shaking the very air itself.
The leader of the Emei Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects.
Her mastery must have reached unfathomable depths. It was only natural that she had attained Surpassing Limits Martial Arts.
No matter how many times they fought, at least once, defeat would be inevitable. Even for Jung Yeonshin in his current state, he could not guarantee a ten-out-of-ten chance of victory.
"Let me ask again."
Baek Yak spoke slowly, as if urging him to reconsider, implying that if he truly understood her martial prowess, he should agree with her judgment.
"When you first saw me, Benefactor, what did you think?"
She pondered.
A young benefactor had come face to face with the leader of one of the Nine Great Sects.
It was their first meeting.
Anyone would naturally feel as if standing before an insurmountable wall. Even supreme masters of equal rank could not escape that sensation.
Yet, the vast and intricate martial arts Jung Yeonshin had accumulated in reaching his current level had, in this moment, instilled in Baek Yak a similar sense of an unscalable barrier.
Both of them had polished their upper dantian to the extreme.
There was no room for falsehoods.
There was only one possible answer.
Jung Yeonshin met the old monk's clear gaze and carefully opened his mouth.
"I thought that you should strengthen your muscles and take better care of your body."
"…?"
Baek Yak blinked slowly.
Meanwhile, Jung Yeonshin felt oddly refreshed. Finally, he had a chance to address what had been bothering him, just before the critical duel.
"As the leader of Emei Sect, you are someone the people should be able to rely on. Yet, your back is extremely narrow on both sides. Instead of muscles, you are relying on internal energy to support your lumbar spine, are you not?"
"…My internal energy flows like the rivers of Mount Sumeru…"
"I cannot sense much strength from your psoas muscle either. You should not continue living in such a state. Emei martial arts must include Silk-Spinning Force, yet if you twist your waist carelessly, I worry that an unfortunate incident could occur. Do you consume enough beans? I have been meaning to ask for a while."
Wooong—
Like rushing water, something surged into Jung Yeonshin's mind.
It was inspiration, for the first time in a long while. A moment of absolute clarity.
How had such a frail body endured the techniques of the leader of Golden Wings Sect, whose strikes were strong enough to shatter the scales of a Flood Dragon?
How had she managed to withstand such an overwhelmingly destructive attack with such little physical strength?
From her appearance, she seemed to have escaped without any fatal injuries.
'She must have manipulated the flow of her energy points with extreme fluidity. There's no other way. Her muscles are too weak.'
Come to think of it, a certain peerless swordmaster of the Wudang Sect had also survived an encounter with the leader of the Golden Wings Sect.
'The sect leader has gone beyond Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown and reached Surpassing Limits Martial Arts. Rather than relying on ordinary footwork, it would be better to utilize internal energy propulsion instead. By directing the shockwave inward rather than outward, she must have made her movements incredibly swift and flexible…'
A hypothesis bordering on foresight.
Short but intensely built-up knowledge.
Colliding and interlocking like a thunderclap.
And in the midst of it all, Jung Yeonshin continued speaking.
Because he could not ignore the sorrowful sight of a monk who had devoted her life to the deepest levels of Buddhist power.
"It is not just your waist that is the problem. The Jianliao Acupoint, located where the triangular shoulder muscles meet, is also an issue. The ultimate essence of fist techniques lies in rotation, but with your muscle fascia so thin, I truly cannot understand how you managed to withstand such force… You must have mastered an incredibly refined technique. If I were to guess, when the impact of the leader of Golden Wings Sect' strike reached its peak at the target point, you countered with the principle of extreme reversal…"
Jung Yeonshin spoke with absolute sincerity.
And as a supreme master who had refined her upper dantian to its utmost limit, Baek Yak could feel it clearly.
Finally—
A faint, thin smile traced the corners of Baek Yak's lips.