Sama Hyeon was starting to grasp what Jin Cheonhee was up to.
First, hyung didn’t teach martial techniques outright. Sure, he polished Sama Hyeon’s existing skills to flow smoother, but that alone wouldn’t get him to the Transformation Realm.
It’s about building the strength to reach enlightenment.
Not exact, but close to the core. For Sama Hyeon, ignorant of Earth’s knowledge, to deduce this was remarkable. But he kept it to himself, so Jin Cheonhee had no idea he’d figured it out.
Hmm… that’s it. Reaching Transformation Realm requires self-reflection on martial learning. But that reflection happens in the mind—memories from experience, martial knowledge, and intuition. Hyung’s trying to sharpen those.
Still, it was bizarre. And far too heretical.
“Hyung,” Sama Hyeon said.
“Yeah?”
“Keep this training just for me.”
“Why?”
“…”
Sama Hyeon narrowed his eyes. Finding the right words was tough. If Jin Cheonhee’s methods spread through the martial world…
He finished his thought. “Lots of people will mock you. The higher the master, the prouder they are of their martial learning. Some might not just laugh—they could see it as an insult to the sword.”
“Hmm… I know it’s a bit unorthodox,” Jin Cheonhee admitted.
“At best, it’d be brushed off as ‘the White-Robed Mad Dragon’s gone crazy, spouting nonsense.’”
Was it that strange? Jin Cheonhee felt a bit dejected.
Sama Hyeon shook his head. “No, your way isn’t wrong. I’m sure of it~ But… it’s enough for just trusted people to know.”
And it’s dangerous. If this training spreads, more might target hyung to learn it…
Unlikely, but if believed, that’d be another issue. Hyung still didn’t realize his value in the martial world—not just as a divine physician, but as a mold-breaker. He thought and acted like he’d dropped from another world, yet derived answers alien to the martial world. The old answers weren’t wrong, but neither were his, and that was a big problem.
“Still, Cheon Woo’s arriving soon, so I’ll teach him too,” Jin Cheonhee said.
“What about Yeo Ha-ryoon?” Sama Hyeon asked, slyly dropping “hyung.”
Jin Cheonhee replied casually, “Hmm, that guy probably doesn’t need my training. Fast or slow, he’ll hit Transformation Realm no problem.”
Absolute trust in Yeo Ha-ryoon. Strange. Sama Hyeon’s inquiries showed they hadn’t spent much time together. Frequent letters, sure, but enough for such unwavering faith?
Yet Jin Cheonhee spoke of Yeo Ha-ryoon without a hint of doubt. “In the Demonic Cult, isn’t survival the issue, not Transformation Realm?”
Sama Hyeon tossed a probing stone. Still, hyung’s eyes were steadfast.
“He’ll be fine. No one in this world can kill that guy.”
Sama Hyeon snickered. Unless it was one of the Three Venerables, how could he say that so easily?
“Even against the Three Venerables?”
“Of course. He won’t die.”
“Even if it’s you?”
Jin Cheonhee looked at him with dark walnut eyes, as if it was crazy talk. “Why would I fight him? My life’s precious too.”
Where did this absolute trust come from? And why didn’t he show it to him? Hyung had risked his life for him then, more accurately to the younger Sama Hyeon. Shouldn’t that earn equal trust? Was it because of him lacking as a true warrior? Or…
Sama Hyeon asked, “What if it’s me?”
“Come on, what’s with that talk? I’d never watch you two fight.”
Sama Hyeon, sharp as ever, caught the certainty in his voice—Yeo Ha-ryoon would win.
***
Cheon Woo climbed the long stairs, a bundle slung over his shoulder. The hot spring mountain’s steps were steep, but for a warrior trained in internal energy, they were no trouble. If these stairs winded or shook you, you were far from a true warrior.
Cheon Woo sighed softly. Master chewed me out badly.
His sword had slowed against the Blood Immortal Sect. In his defense, as a fledgling training in the martial world, he lacked real combat experience. But the Fist Emperor wasn’t one to excuse that. The scolding was brutal.
Helping with sect affairs delayed him further, despite rushing out. I wonder how hyung’s doing.
He wasn’t keen on Sama Hyeon’s status. Forced sworn brotherhood, thanks to hyung. To Cheon Woo, Sama Hyeon—and Yeo Ha-ryoon—were the unwanted extras tagging along. Each saw the others as the “annoying baggage.”
Guided inside, he headed to the training ground where hyung was.
Step—
A strange silence. Not true silence—filled with sound, like nature’s qi flow was tangled. Something was off, but Cheon Woo couldn’t pinpoint it.
Looking up, he saw Sama Hyeon floating in midair.
Floating Meditation.
“Transformation Realm…?”
Sama Hyeon had just crossed the wall of enlightenment, surpassing his current self. Immersed in profound martial waves, he’d entered Floating Meditation.
Jin Cheonhee stared at him, dumbfounded.
“Hyung?”
“Uh, yeah…” Jin Cheonhee stammered.
“What’s this?”
“That lunatic… said he had to be the best among sworn brothers and crossed the enlightenment wall.”
“Huh?”
“He hit Transformation Realm out of jealousy! That lunatic!”
What kind of crazy… But Sama Hyeon’s face in Floating Meditation was serene, and Cheon Woo instantly read it:
I’m number one! Hahaha! Number one~!
Damn it.
Cheon Woo set down his bundle. He didn’t know Yeo Ha-ryoon’s level, but he hated losing. One thing was clear: he’d lost to the youngest, Sama Hyeon.
Jin Cheonhee muttered, incredulous, “This guy hit Transformation Realm because he didn’t want to lose…”
Cheon Woo, somehow understanding, felt a pang in his neck.
***
The next day, Sama Hyeon, done with Floating Meditation, began consolidating his enlightenment. Cheon Woo, taking his place, dove into the unheard-of, insane training.
“Hyung, will this really get me to Transformation Realm?”
“Yup, it will! Trust me, Cheon Woo-ya, one more!”
Cheon Woo’s face paled. Sama Hyeon, an Unorthodox faction warrior, adapted quickly, used to bizarre training. But Cheon Woo, from the orthodox Wudang Sect, was different.
This’ll get me to Transformation Realm?
What was Transformation Realm? Surpassing martial limits, refining oneself, harmonizing Mind, Qi, and Body to sprout a new self through the Bud of the Dao.
“Hyung, really…”
“Don’t like it? Quit~ Come on, Brother Cheonhee, ahhh~”
Sama Hyeon, cheering, popped a candy into Jin Cheonhee’s mouth. Jin Cheonhee, flustered, said, “Hyeon-ah, that was for Cheon Woo.”
“No worries, hyung. You didn’t make it just for him, right? Made some for your youngest too~”
“True, but…”
“Then eat, Brother Cheonhee. Let’s mock our dawdling second brother together.”
The early bird was the worst. Jin Cheonhee realized Sama Hyeon rushed his enlightenment for this. If Transformation Realm came easily, every warrior would hit it. Yet this guy did, thanks to hellish training and a desperate resolve to screw over the next in line.
That worked?
Cheon Woo asked, “Don’t you need solitude to consolidate enlightenment, youngest brother?”
“Nah, I’m a social guy. I consolidate better with company,” Sama Hyeon replied.
“Haa…”
Jin Cheonhee sighed, watching Sama Hyeon cling and torment Cheon Woo. “Hyeon-ah, this works out.”
“Hmm?”
“I’ll speed up your consolidation too!”
“Uh, hyung?”
“Roll together.”
Sama Hyeon flinched. Cheon Woo grinned. “Perfect, youngest brother. Come here.”
“Hyeon-ah, you’ll listen to hyung, right?”
Sama Hyeon realized his hyung never tolerated slacking. Solitary consolidation would’ve been ignored, but Jin Cheonhee saw through his plan to goof off. He wasn’t one to let it slide.
Jin Cheonhee said, “Miss this window, and you’ll never fully claim yesterday’s enlightenment. You know even Transformation Realm varies in power, right?”
Calmly, logically, without a curse. If Sama Hyeon won with logic, fine, but losing and defying meant facing the White-Robed Mad Dragon’s wrath.
“…Ugh, thought I’d finally chill.”
“You hit Transformation Realm—now master it. Let’s go!”
With that, he mercilessly plunged Sama Hyeon into the training mire.
Professor Jin’s clear eyes gleamed. “Don’t worry. I’ll make you both as strong as me! With your talent, you might surpass me! You can do it!”
“Arghhh!”
Thus began another round of insane training days, unstoppable even for the newly ascended Sama Hyeon.