Chapter 110: Circumstances
Only when the sun hung over the western mountains did the villagers return from the military farm.
Yul Han and the Profound Demon, who had been looking around the surroundings to see if anything was lacking, also reentered the village at that ti.
The Instructor had already selected and was waiting with the parents among the villagers who had requested the Entrance Training Examination for their children.
Facing them, Yul Han asked,
“Training will be harder than you imagine. I will do my best to prevent it, but there may be those who lose their lives. Even so, do you still intend to raise your children as Bright Cult Martial Artists?”
“How could we not know it is dangerous? Even so, the children want it.”
“Even if they endure the harsh Foundational Training and beco martial artists, they will live upon the blade. That ans they will beco people who never know when they might die. Are you truly all right with that?”
Was my question too blunt? The villagers could not readily answer.
They had known that training could be dangerous, but they had never considered that even after becoming martial artists, they would have to live with death at their side.
Who would wish for their child to take up a profession where they might die at any mont?
Perhaps because of that, the parents’ bewildernt deepened.
To them, I continued,
“Think carefully. This is absolutely not sothing to take lightly. Tell the children the truth as well. Tell them that the Bright Cult Martial Artists are not as safe and peaceful a profession as they appear.”
Leaving behind the parents standing in silence with unmistakably flustered expressions, I left the Military Farm Village.
The children, who had followed their parents because they heard they could see the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, could not even open their mouths at my cold voice and stern expression.
As I stepped out of the Military Farm Village like that, the Profound Demon asked ,
“Are you aware that these days there is a widespread rumor within the cult that in thirty years, the number of Bright Cult Martial Artists will be cut in half?”
“Does that rumor help anything?”
“The supply of new martial artists is being cut off.”
“It must be about the Foundational Training and the Unsealing Training.”
“That is correct. In reality, the opportunity to replenish new martial artists is practically blocked. If this situation continues, then in thirty years there truly will be a massive shortage of martial artists.”
“That does not an we can kidnap children and bring them here. Nor do I agree with brainwashing those who were abducted so that they would throw away their lives like blades of grass for the Bright Cult.”
“Do you realize that those words of yours deny the very foundation of the Bright Cult?”
“If the Bright Cult can only survive by committing kidnappings and shedding the blood of innocents, then it deserves to be denied.”
At my unexpectedly bold words, the Profound Demon looked quite startled.
“Then what kind of Bright Cult do you dream of?”
“I dream of a Bright Cult that is a source of pride for its believers and its martial artists.”
“Pride… you say?”
“Yes. A Bright Cult that can be proudly presented before anyone. That is the kind of Bright Cult I hope for.”
Even now, many Bright Cult Martial Artists took pride in being mbers of the Bright Cult.
At its foundation lay powerful martial arts and strength.
In truth, Bright Cult Martial Artists took great pride in the fact that the Hundred Paths—ten tis larger in scale—feared the na of the Bright Cult.
Of course, that did not an it was sothing to be proud of.
The countless acts committed in the na of the Bright Cult were not filled with things worthy of pride.
That was why I acknowledged it when the Hundred Paths pointed fingers at us.
Acknowledging it did not an tolerating it.
Bright Cult Martial Artists felt relieved only after breaking the wrists of those who dared to point fingers at them.
That stubborn defiance had long been called pride among the Bright Cult.
Yet now, I spoke differently.
I said it was not sothing to be proud of, and that I wished for the Bright Cult to beco sothing worthy of pride.
A Bright Cult that others could be proud of?
Setting aside the likelihood of success—if that truly ca to pass?
Throughout the entire journey back, the Profound Demon could not speak.
When I returned to the Main Fortress, I ca face to face with Demon Flower, who had been waiting for .
After hearing everything she poured out the mont she saw , I asked,
“So, you intend to step down from your position as Elder, is that it?”
“That is correct, Vice Cult Leader.”
“You passed the examination to beco Fourth Elder. Why do you wish to resign?”
“Because I wish to train under you.”
“Under ?”
“Yes. Just like my three elder brothers.”
Since it was not a decision that could be made lightly, I turned my gaze—and caught sight of the backs of the Iron Demon and the Ghost Demon hurriedly concealing themselves.
Only then did I realize where this matter had begun.
“I do not know what you heard, but there seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“It was not sothing that could be misunderstood. I heard that my three elder brothers have been improving by leaps and bounds. Under your guidance, Vice Cult Leader.”
“If you an the Iron Demon, the Profound Demon, and the Ghost Demon, that is true. There has been much progress. But to say it is because of my guidance would be incorrect. They truly train without rest, with great passion.”
“Are you saying it is because of their effort?”
“Of course. I have not seen the three of them sleep more than one shijin lately. If one works that hard, improvent is only natural.”
At my answer, Demon Flower narrowed her eyes.
“So you an you cannot accept ?”
“I understand your wish to train together. However, I cannot accept your intention to abandon your position as Elder for the sake of training.”
“Then that ans you still will not accept for training…?”
“I an that even if you maintain your position as Elder, if you still wish to train together, I will not stop you.”
At my unexpected words, Demon Flower’s eyes widened. I continued,
“You may co here every day after the midday al. Training begins from that ti.”
“Then from now on, am I one of the Vice Cult Leader’s people?”
Her eyes sparkled as she asked, and I gave a bitter smile.
“All people of the Bright Cult are my people. At least, that is what I believe. They are those who will guard my back, and at the sa ti, those whom I must protect—family.”
“Family… you say?”
“Yes. That is how I see it.”
“Hmm….”
She seed to ponder sothing for a mont at my words, then continued,
“Have you perhaps heard that I like the Cult Leader?”
“I have heard it, but….”
Seeing my displeased expression, Demon Flower smiled faintly and asked,
“I also heard that you dislike the idea of bringing other n into my bedchamber.”
“I respect personal preferences, however….”
“Preferences? Hohohoho. You seem to be mistaken about sothing. The Heart thod of Close-Range Projection that I cultivated is based on energy absorption.”
My expression stiffened at the unexpected answer, and she continued,
“I know. It’s a damned Heart thod. I had no desire to live by sucking the vital essence of n either. But once I learned it, what was I supposed to do?”
“Just because you learned it does not an you must use it.”
“What, and beco a wrinkled old grandmother? I dislike that even more.”
In short, energy absorption was affecting her youthful appearance.
I asked her,
“Why do you wish to beco stronger, Fourth Elder?”
“? I simply want to reach the Manifestation Realm and put an end to this wretched karmic tie.”
I had expected a typical answer, so I asked in surprise,
“If you reach the Manifestation Realm, does that an you will no longer need energy absorption?”
“That’s right. Once one reaches Three Flowers Gather at the Crown and Five Energies in Harmony, the Crown ridian opens again.”
For those who cultivated Internal Martial Arts, four acupoints were of utmost importance.
The Crown ridian at the top of the head, the Life Gate directly opposite the navel along the spine, the Gate of Origin in the lower abdon where the Dantian was ford, and the Bubbling Spring on the sole of the foot.
All Internal Martial Arts began from the pathway known as the Conception Vessel.
It started at the Gate of Origin, traveled up to the Crown ridian, and then retraced its path back to the Gate of Origin.
In other words, the flow that traveled from the Dantian ford in the lower abdon along the front of the upper body was the Conception Vessel.
In Internal Martial Arts, the act of circulating through this Conception Vessel was called the Lesser Heavenly Circulation.
This differed from the Daoist and dical concept of the sa na, which required the full connection of the Eight Extraordinary ridians.
In contrast, the Governing Vessel, which flowed along the back of the body, began at the Bubbling Spring on the sole, passed through the Life Gate on the back, ascended to the Crown ridian at the top of the head, and then retraced the sa path.
In the Martial World, this was called the Greater Heavenly Circulation.
Compared to the Lesser Heavenly Circulation, the path of the Greater Heavenly Circulation was longer.
Unlike Yang energy that descended from the heavens, Yin energy had to be drawn up from the earth.
The effort required was different.
However, if one practiced only the Lesser Heavenly Circulation because its path was shorter and faster, one would accumulate only Yang energy.
Since most Internal Martial Arts emphasized the balance and harmony of Yin and Yang, one had to accumulate corresponding Yin energy through the Greater Heavenly Circulation as well.
Most Heart thods that involved energy absorption were created while ignoring this principle.
They were ford either solely through the Greater Heavenly Circulation or solely through the Lesser Heavenly Circulation.
This caused an absolute deficiency of either Yang or Yin energy, and to fill that deficiency, energy absorption was employed.
If Yang energy was lacking, one took a man’s vital essence; if Yin energy was lacking, one took a woman’s.
Therefore, the difference between Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art and such techniques was that during the exchange of blows, it absorbed the opponent’s Internal Energy contained within the attack—regardless of whether it was Yang or Yin—and converted a portion into one’s own.
Though the effect resembled energy absorption, it did not deviate into one-sided imbalance.
Those quick-witted would notice a question here.
Why did the energy return from the Crown ridian?
Would it not be better to simply pass through and circulate the entire body in one complete cycle, achieving greater harmony of Yin and Yang and accumulating Internal Energy more quickly?
Naturally, there was a reason.
The problem was that the Crown ridian closed within a hundred days after birth.
It was blocked—no matter how much one wished to pass through, it could not be done.
However, upon attaining enlightennt and reaching Three Flowers Gather at the Crown and Five Energies in Harmony, the Crown ridian opened again, and the previously separated Conception and Governing Vessels connected and beca fully unblocked.
At that ti, when the energy departed from the Gate of Origin, passed through the Crown ridian, went through the Life Gate and Bubbling Spring, and returned once more to the Gate of Origin, Internal Martial Arts referred to this as the Universal Heavenly Circulation.
It was a concept aligned with calling the human body a microcosm.
Now Demon Flower was saying that once the Universal Heavenly Circulation was achieved, energy absorption would no longer be necessary.
Yin and Yang would find balance on their own.
What surprised was not that logic, but the limitations inherent in energy-absorbing martial arts.
I gave voice to it.
“You an harmony of Yin and Yang is possible? Other than Heaven-and-Earth Great Shift Divine Art, I was under the impression that no energy-absorbing Heart thod could achieve that.”
“The Heart thod of Close-Range Projection that I cultivate states that it is possible. There is proof. It was the martial art of the Demon Empress—the only woman to beco Cult Leader.”
The Demon Empress, the Seventh Cult Leader of the Bright Cult, had unquestionably been a master of the Manifestation Realm.
One might argue it was thanks to the Four Sacred Arts of the Heavenly Demon, but like , she was said to have maintained her youthful appearance until death.
That ant that even after reaching the Manifestation Realm—where Yin and Yang must inevitably harmonize—the Heart thod of Close-Range Projection that sustained youth through Yin energy had not collapsed.
Furthermore, there were no records of the Demon Empress being licentious in the Chronicles of the Cult Leaders.
The chronicles were written frankly enough to note the excessive womanizing of other Cult Leaders. Therefore, at the very least, it ant that after she beca Cult Leader, the Demon Empress had no indulgence in n.
Only then did I realize it, and I could not hide my surprise.
Demon Flower gave a aningful smile.
“Then from tomorrow, I will co to train.”
At her declaration, I had no choice but to nod.
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