The woman continued her explanation about the tower.
[What I want from you is only one thing. You must locate the Dao Principles scattered across heaven and earth and use them to seal the cracks in this tower. Of course, it's also possible to release the beings I mentioned earlier.]
"You mean… you'll release them?"
Yeophyeon hesitated for a moment before speaking. "What happens after that?"
[Two outcomes exist. The first is that they kill you and take control of the tower. The second is that you subdue them and make them serve you. Of course, at this point, the first outcome is far more likely.]
Yeophyeon forced a bitter smile. He didn't know whether to see this as fortune or disaster.
After a moment of contemplation, he lifted his head and asked, "You… or rather, divine being, I will call you Heavenly Maiden. Are you also trapped here?"
[No!]
Yeophyeon pressed further. "Then why are you here?"
[You talk too much!]
"..."
[Currently, you are the master of this tower. Each time you retrieve a Dao Principle, both your skill and your control over the tower will increase significantly. If you acquire a Dao Principle, you will gain dominion over a floor of the tower. Later, if your opponent isn't overwhelmingly strong, you could trap them within the tower.
At present, no Dao Principles remain in this tower, which is why its seals are loosening. If the seal fully breaks, the tower will collapse, and the beings inside will pour into the world. Should that happen, the world you know will be destroyed. And you will be the first victim at their hands.]
Yeophyeon asked, "Are you saying I'm meant to save this world?"
[Before that, you must first save yourself. The first seal will break in at most a year. If you fail to stop it, you must part ways with this beautiful world.]
Yeophyeon clenched his fists in determination and slowly bowed before the mysterious presence in front of him. "Teach me the martial art that doesn't require a dantian."
The Heavenly Maiden paused before speaking.
[My training method is unlike any other, and its difficulty is equally extreme. Once you begin, you may wish you were dead, so think carefully.]
Yeophyeon let out a self-deprecating laugh. "There's nothing to consider. My dantian is destroyed, so this is my only path."
[Very well. Then I shall explain. This method, as I said, does not require a dantian. You will use a sword to replace your dantian.]
Yeophyeon feigned surprise. "Use a sword as a dantian? Is that even possible?"
[It is. Your path is not martial arts, but swordsmanship. Using a sword as a dantian means the stronger your sword, the stronger your dantian becomes. While others cultivate their dantian, you will cultivate your sword.
You won't need to sit and absorb spiritual energy like others. Simply find a fine sword and absorb it. The better the sword, the faster your strength will grow. When you reach a minor mastery, your body will become a sword body. At that point, no ordinary blade can harm you, and all swords in the world will obey you.]
"Submission of all swords!"
Hearing this, Yeophyeon could no longer contain his excitement.
[Did you notice the three swords stuck at the top of the tower before entering?]
"I did."
[Those three represent the pinnacle of the three great schools of swordsmanship in heaven and earth. If you absorb them into yourself as your dantian, you will reach unprecedented heights.]
Yeophyeon hesitated, then spoke. "From what I saw, those three swords seem to seal the tower. If I absorb them, won't it destabilize the tower?"
[Nothing will happen. Trust me. I will protect you.]
Though slightly doubtful, Yeophyeon decided to trust the Heavenly Maiden. After all, with his dantian destroyed, he had no other option.
The voice spoke again. [Look at the sword in front of you.]
Yeophyeon looked at the sword next to the skeleton. About three feet long, roughly a finger-width in width, and radiating a silvery glow, it had two small characters engraved on its blade.
["Yeongso"]
'A sword imbued with spirit?'
[This sword has been sealed for twelve hundred years. Over time, ninety percent of its spiritual power has dissipated, so it is perfect for your use. I will give you a manual; follow it to absorb the sword. If successful, you will instantly rise from lower-grade Qi Transformation Realm to mid-grade Qi Transformation Realm.]
Yeophyeon felt unease creeping in. "Are you saying there's a chance I could fail?"
[Yes.]
"Has anyone trained this way before?"
The Heavenly Maiden paused. [You are definitely the first. If you succeed, you will be the first ever, which is something to celebrate.]
Yeophyeon felt a mix of panic and dread. "And if I fail?"
[The sword will shatter, and so will your body. In short… you will die.]
"..."
[With your dantian destroyed, you are effectively already dead. What are you hesitating for?]
Her words returned fire to his eyes. She was right. With his dantian gone, he was powerless. To save his sister Yeopryeong, he had no choice but to master this technique, even if it cost him his life.
Yeophyeon finally nodded. "I will do it!"
The moment he spoke, a streak of white light shot to his forehead, and a flood of information entered his mind.
Invincible Sword-Body Technique!
[Use your body as a sword, and let the sword act as your dantian. Swallow all swords with your dantian, and all swords in the world become your nourishment. Thus, you will continuously grow… endlessly…]
The white light then focused on the Yeongso sword. It trembled, then transformed into a blade of pure light and was absorbed into Yeophyeon's body.
"Ahhh!"
Instantly, his pupils dilated, and his face contorted in agony. It was a pain worse than death, as if a sword were cutting through him from within.
Amid his screams, the Heavenly Maiden's voice echoed in his mind.
[The sword is already inside you. If you lose focus now, you will fail to make it your dantian—and you may even die!]
His whole body trembled violently like never before. Gritting his teeth, Yeophyeon thought, 'If I fail, I die.'
Hours passed. His face grew gaunt and ghostlike, his body shaking from excruciating pain. Countless times, he almost lost consciousness, but he persevered, knowing if he blacked out, he might never awaken.
'I will endure this!'
After a day of sheer struggle, a faint sword sound rang out, and Yeophyeon collapsed to the ground. At the same time, energy flowed throughout his body.
Where his dantian should have been, a small sword floated faintly.
And the Heavenly Maiden's voice filled the tower. [I didn't think it would really work…]
Yeophyeon, thankfully unconscious, did not hear this.
After some time, he cautiously opened his eyes and sprang to a sitting position. "Have I… reached the Qi Transformation Realm?"
Qi Transformation Realm!
He could feel the flow of energy throughout his body—not just energy, but sword energy. From his dantian, he sensed the aura of a small sword.
The Heavenly Maiden's voice spoke again. [Yes, you have reached the Qi Transformation Realm.]
'To actually reach Qi Transformation Realm!'
Yeophyeon clenched his fists. His body trembled with excitement. It was as if, wandering endlessly in a dark abyss, he had finally glimpsed a ray of light. He now had hope of taking his sister to Changmok Academy.
[Why are you so excited?]
The Heavenly Maiden's voice shouted. [This is only the beginning.]
"Ha ha, isn't it better to smile when there's hope?"
The Heavenly Maiden explained further. [Using a sword as your dantian means the sword will replace your destroyed dantian. But it's not all good. Swords have grades: Common Sword, Spirit Sword, Bright Sword, True Sword, Heavenly Sword, Dao Sword, and Immortal Sword. The sword in your body was originally a True Sword, but over a thousand years it has fallen to Spirit Sword level.]
She paused. "A sword is like a soul. If the sword perishes, so will you."
Yeophyeon's expression hardened.
[There are two ways to resolve this. One, find a new Spirit Sword and absorb it, replenishing your current sword's power. Two, find another sword to replace the one in your body. The better the sword, the stronger your dantian, and naturally, your skill will increase. But… from what I see, you don't even have a Common Sword in your possession.]
Yeophyeon suddenly asked, "What about the three swords at the top of the tower? What grade are they?"
[Unknown.]
"..."
[You overthink things. Without those swords, your world would look very different. Don't be impatient about swords. The sword in your body will last barely a year. So your immediate priority is sword refinement.]
'Sword refinement? How do I refine a sword?'
"How do I refine it?"
[By killing with it.]
"Excuse me?"
[A sword exists to kill. Through the act of killing, you will naturally grasp the principles of the sword. Of course, you are just taking your first steps, so you must first develop speed and strength. Use the sword technique I gave you to summon the sword within your body.]
Yeophyeon closed his eyes. When he opened his palm, a sword of light appeared, solidifying into the Yeongso Sword he had absorbed.
Wide-eyed, he shouted, "It… it really appeared!"
[Yes. Handle the sword carefully. If it breaks, you die. Now, you need an opponent.]
At that moment, a shadow appeared before Yeophyeon.
[It is a Qi Transformation Realm practitioner like you. Fight them!]
Instantly, the shadow vanished from sight.
The opponent's sword moved so fast it was nearly invisible. Yeophyeon instinctively dodged. The opponent seemed to anticipate his movements, adjusting the blade perfectly.
The moment Yeophyeon's feet touched the ground, the sword grazed his chest.
"Ahhh!"