Heavenly Demon Cultivation Simulation

The abode at Shenzhou Peak of Mount Qingcheng.

The scenery was mediocre, yet from this place, one could glimpse the Qingcheng Palace and observe the people moving below at the entrance.

Seol-Hwi often sat alone there when he felt conflicted.

“Yes, it is true that I set a standard for myself. Among them, there might be some that really needed to be removed and filtered out…”

He could not afford to ignore Qingcheng’s martial arts.

Somehow, it felt inevitable.

Having reached a high level in his previous life, Seol-Hwi could easily spot the shortcomings of most warriors.

In the name of tradition, the techniques were imbued with inefficient movements, and sometimes the elders were too stubborn to change them.

“From the beginning to the end, Qingcheng’s martial arts skills were considered inferior. The special experiences of my life have helped me a lot, but now that is what is holding me back.”

To exaggerate a bit, it felt akin to a religion.

The Buddhist scriptures say that if one meets an arrogant person, kill them, and kill the Buddha too if you meet him on the road.

This was because blind faith lead to destruction.

However, such statements could only be made by those who have already climbed halfway up the mountain. And Qingcheng had its roots in Taoism.

To truly understand the sect, it was not enough to just mimic the actions and habits; one had to assimilate it all into their being.

Blind faith certainly lead to distortion, but those who have never experienced such blind faith might understand it intellectually, yet cannot feel the warmth of the law that heats their hearts.

Shhh

In an instant, Seol-Hwi’s figure vanished from the peak.

Pik

He picked up the sword in an instant and held it with ease.

Swish

A light sting followed by a graceful slash.

Swish

Seol-Hwi executed the original Clear Wind Sword technique, which traditionally comprised 12 forms.

Here, Seol-Hwi had removed four techniques he considered ineffective and had used two forms he created himself, improved with the help of his master. But now, he was following the instructions of the martial arts manual.

He had started learning the movement early in the morning.

Shhh

“The mind…”

Before attempting the original version, Seol-Hwi concentrated once again and decided not to include his own techniques.

The mind that encountered something in a state of ignorance knows nothing.

Like children with pure hearts, he decided to accept any given form like a blank sheet of paper.

Shh. Shh.. wheik.

And so the sword dance began—an action that aligned the body with the sword’s direction and waited for the enemy’s attack.

Anticipating the opponent’s sword, he safely stepped back, struck with his own sword, and even stabbed at an opening.

Chik

And from the third form, Seol-Hwi reflected on a past problem.

The warriors of the Qingcheng sect wore loose-fitting uniforms. Therefore, when making swift movements, the hem of the robe could hinder their actions.

The original sword movement involved holding the tip of the robe’s hem with the hand not wielding the sword, while keeping an eye on the opponent’s blade. It was a stance ready to cut or stab within the available range.

In the past, Seol-Hwi had discarded the action of lifting the robe’s hem for the technique, as he thought it emphasized appearance over practicality.

Shhh

But this time, he deliberately incorporated the movement without prejudice, accepting it wholeheartedly. Then he executed it as seriously as possible.

There was some discomfort when the hem caught, but he continued until he was satisfied.

Wait…

Before transitioning to the fourth form, Seol-Hwi tilted his head, sensing something amiss.

However, it was difficult to properly judge what it was and whether it would be helpful.

So he tried the process from the third to the fourth.

Shh. Whik.

And again.

Shhh. Wheik!

He repeated that movement many times—no, hundreds of times.

Seol-Hwi, whose forehead was now wet with sweat, groaned briefly as he remembered the hidden meaning behind the movement.

“Ah.”

The act of holding the dress and lifting the sword… this was no formal act.

As soon as Seol-Hwi had seen it before, he had dismissed it as an unnecessary movement. There were reasons for that.

Hands entangled in those stylish, long clothes.

He had thought that in an actual fight, it would cause him to die instead of killing the enemy. That’s right, in a fight between amazing warriors, dozens of sword attacks would come in. If one hand was kept like that, he could not avoid them all…

One would fall after at least three stabs in that duration.

It was a ridiculous move that seemed unnecessary based on Seol-Hwi’s common sense and exposed their vital point.

However, he now had to have faith. After continuing the technique to find what its essence was, Seol-Hwi realized something again.

And again, through countless repetitions—

Seol-Hwi was able to see a different sight than before.

It isn’t just wrapping the hand in the robe for the sake of looking good.

The flow of the technique was meant to be proud and intense.

That is, before pushing the opponent, there was a preparation for collecting internal energy. When connected with this, the movement of lifting the robe was a process of preparation, not just for show.

Infusing qi into the robe and then raising the…

In that case, one could protect the chest with the robe, even if only for a moment.

Seol-Hwi saw for the first time that this was an exceptional form of defense. Conversely, he could attract and absorb the enemy’s attack, defending against any major attack.

Shhhh!

In a short breath, he could stab and cut a wide area to the left and right, beyond the normal range of the sword.

Why… huh. Actually, it was part of the practice.

If only a few more words had been included, Seol-Hwi would have preserved the technique without omission. But due to hundreds of years of storage, many details had been lost, and now only a few elements were preserved from the original.

Seol-Hwi extended his thoughts further. Indeed, were all other techniques completely transmitted? He doubted that was the case.

“No… could there also be a meaning to the direction of the form?”

He fully expanded his thoughts now.

Seol-Hwi felt like even the most trivial and seemingly useless movements had some meaning, and at that moment, a certain warrior came to mind.

Chung Un-jeok, the man who epitomized Qingcheng.

This was the part where the improved version, previously considered inefficient, came into play.

Let’s revisit this, starting from the foundation.

Part of linking the seventh to the eighth form.

Seol-Hwi assumed his stance and caught his breath. Unlike the basics of the Qingcheng Sect, this required a high degree of concentration, a large amount of internal energy, and its full strength could only be unleashed once one reached the Supreme state.

Wheik

No, perhaps even more.

Seol-Hwi took a deliberate deep breath and prepared his body for the first form.

“Let’s do it.”

As soon as he spoke, Seol-Hwi’s sword began to draw an arc.

Shhh!

Simultaneously, the energy began to flow out of Seol-Hwi’s sword.

The winter in Qingcheng was known to be harsh.

The Taoist monks of Qingcheng only showed their faces when the sun rose, and their decreased numbers due to the cold made it scenic yet deserted.

“Ugh.”

As the frigid days continued, the health of Chung Heo deteriorated because he could not move.

His joints felt stiffer, and he could no longer walk on his own. It was as if he were waiting for the day everything would come to an end.

The weight of Seok-Hwi’s name was too much to bear, so although everyone inquired about his well-being, in reality, only one young Taoist monk stood by his side, his final attendant.

“Hyuk Mun. It is a bright day today.”

A day bathed in warm sunlight.

The second-class disciple, seated on the floor, quickly bowed to him as he spoke,

“Yes. It snowed so much yesterday, but it seems there isn’t much wind today. After enduring the cold, a warm spring will come to our mountain.”

“Right… this will be the world you will shape in the future. Like the everlasting green of Qingcheng Mountain, you will become greater than you are now.”

“Yes… Even when I become greater than I am now, the masters must be stronger than me.”

“Of course they are, and you should strive to be as strong as them.”

Chung Heo smiled at this, but Hyuk Mun knew what it truly meant.

Seok-Hwi had been gone for three months now. A close friend he had been taught by for 20 years.

He probably felt more curious because Seok-Hwi was his disciple… This was compounded by Chung Heo’s strict order not to speak or reveal anything about him under any circumstances.

Just what is happening…

Hyuk Mun felt frustrated, but he could not ask.

What could compel a man to cast out his own disciple?

It seemed like an entanglement too complex to unravel, but since honoring this elder’s final request was his duty, he decided to respect it.

Rustle

“Uh…?”

After stepping into the kitchen to prepare a meal, he paused, thinking he had seen something amiss.

The visitors who had come to see the elder had all left. There should have been no one else remaining, yet there stood a figure at the main gate of the residence.

“The Great Sword of Qingcheng?”

The man had a slightly haggard complexion.

It was Taoist Seok-Hwi.

For some reason, after the master shouted, he gave an order not to let the man in. Even though Hyuk Mun remembered it… when the man came…

“Cough cough…?”

Chung Heo, who was coughing because of the cold, naturally saw Seok-Hwi.

“…”

His face looked confused, his cloudy eyes filled with emotions—joy and anger. He seemed as if he did not know which emotion would burst out.

“Hmm…”

The reason he turned his head to the side a bit late was because of those feelings.

Thud

While Hyuk Mun felt anxious, Seok-Hwi knelt down and bowed his head.

“Master. The disciple has returned.”

“…”

A moment of silence followed. In this uncomfortable silence, Hyuk Mun carefully left the place.

He did not know what the fight between the master and disciple was about, but he had no right to be there.

How can you just come back?

He felt happy, hoping for the relationship of the two to strengthen now.

Step

As Hyuk Mun left, elder Chung Heo turned his head and asked in a low voice,

“Is there anything left between us?”

“…”

It was a calm tone, but it broke Seol-Hwi’s heart.

“Master…”

Even when Chung Heo spoke, there was a bit of a tremble in his voice, and Seol-Hwi knew what it meant.

“A long time ago, when a cold winter came, didn’t you make a promise with me?”

“Promise? What…”

“Fishing while looking at the lake, the mountaintop lake. At night, the chat on the huge rock cliff.”

“…”

“That promise. I am here to protect it.”

But Chung Heo did not respond to Seol-Hwi.

Normally, he would have gotten angry and kicked him out, but this time he was just sitting there.

“Master…”

Seeing that, Seol-Hwi’s eyes turned red.

He knew how his master felt now.

The man who clearly dismissed him from being his disciple and shouted to never come back again.

And yet, the moment he saw the disciple he had taught from childhood, he felt overwhelmed.

His intentions to break off the ties were sincere. And yet, when the disciple he cherished so much arrived, he could not say anything.

There were times when it all seemed fake. Other times, it was too warm and happy to be considered fake.

“Right. Let’s go.”

His master, who was sitting there, finally spoke and looked at Seol-Hwi.

“Let us go and talk with the sword. Aren’t we, Qingcheng?”

“Yes.”

Seol-Hwi bowed and stepped forward. He helped the master walk.

Shhh

With eyes deeper than before, the Great Qingcheng Swordsman carried his master around and slowly took one step at a time towards the lake. Each step made him look forward.