That day, rain was falling.

Zhuge Rin sat idly, gazing at the raindrops as they descended. Counting the years in his mind, he reckoned that after a few more seizures, death would come for him. In his youth, he had struggled to survive—tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of attempts to defy his fate. But now, like most who bear a terminal sentence, he had reached the stage of acceptance.

Yet, in a fleeting moment, he noticed the falling raindrops begin to slow. They grew languid, then slower still, until at last, the droplets formed perfect circles, suspended in the air, motionless. A sensation as though time itself had halted overwhelmed him, and with it came an unbidden realization—a martial arts enlightenment he neither sought nor needed.

He knew it was futile. Even with this revelation, he could never undergo the transformation that other martial artists coveted. Such a rebirth required harmony of mind, energy, and body, and his congenital affliction, Nine Yin Meridian Obstruction, would forever bind him. No matter the clarity of his mind or the strength of his inner energy, his flesh would betray him.

Zhuge Rin tried to flee from this martial arts enlightenment—a treasure other warriors would risk their lives to claim. But the deep blue aura of his spirit refused to release him, dragging him back into its depths. What he had come to know could not be unlearned. And so, having scaled a wall he never meant to climb, he laughed bitterly for a time.

What use was such a pearl to a man soon to die? It was as if his aura had adorned a pig’s neck with jewels—a mocking gift. For a moment, he contemplated self-annihilation. But his lofty pride, unyielding as stone, would not permit escape.

“Even the delusions of that time have proven useful now that I wield the martial arts I conceived back then. It is a fortunate turn, indeed,” his master said, fanning himself slowly with a pleased expression.

Before the battle with Heavenly Commander Dong, he had broken his fan, and now he was using a new one.

But this fan did not fit his hand well, so Jin Cheonhee was looking for a fan craftsman in various places.

So, what Mu-wol had learned now was not just the Profound Origin Technique.

Zhuge Rin had improved the Profound Origin Technique so that it could be learned together with the Mixed Five Elements Returning to Origin, an absolute technique created by his disciple at the time of his enlightenment.

If he had to name it, it would be called the Mixed Elemental Five Phases Profound Origin Technique[1].

Mu-wol needed it.

Because the workload was murderously heavy.

Finally, after the transmission of the Mixed Five Elements Returning to Origin and the Mixed Elemental Five Phases Profound Origin Technique was completed.

Only then did Mu-wol’s actions, which had been suffocating, become astonishing.

It had only been three months since Mu-wol entered the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

In that time, the entire Jiangsu Province had completely fallen into the hands of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

The branches of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion also increased significantly within Jiangsu Province, to the extent that any area with a population of over a thousand had a branch without fail.

When a branch of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion was established, even the smallest one came with convenience facilities.

And those convenience facilities included a small general store.

Jin Cheonhee called it a “convenience store.”

Following Jin Cheonhee’s explanation that it meant a store that provides convenience, everyone started calling the general store a “convenience store.”

Since it came with the White Dragon Medical Pavilion branch, it did not sell medicines, but it sold everything from clothes to preserved food, simple farming tools, and books.

It took only a few months for the general store, commonly known as the “White Dragon Convenience Store,” to take root throughout Jiangsu Province.

Logistics, commerce, and martial control were natural consequences.

Moreover, with the support of Her Imperial Highness, Wangya Ju and the secret support of the Emperors, even the officials could not dare to touch the White Dragon Medical Pavilion in Jiangsu Province.

Tremendous growth!

However, it was difficult for other regional sects to interfere with it.

The business expansion of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion was too different from that of other existing sects, so there was no way to respond.

The businesses of the sects in this world varied from sect to sect.

Some sects had developed mining industries with mines.

Some sects made money from logistics and transportation by operating large escort agencies.

But the White Dragon Medical Pavilion began to dabble in almost everything.

The development of silver mines was completed, and several workshops were acquired and merged.

In addition, in step with the Hao Sect, they were sharing interests with the Hao Sect.

The Hao Sect was cleverly imitating the methods of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion and expanding its influence in other regions.

For example, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi.

These three regions had no large sects, and the Hao Sect was advancing into these areas in a similar way to the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

In this era without copyright, stealing others’ ideas was not even illegal.

“Brother, I’ll give you some shares. Anyway, whether others copy it or the Golden Blood Chamber copies it, it’s the same, so it’s better to take shares,” Jin Cheonhee said.

“That… um… If I take shares, shouldn’t I be called a partner from the beginning?”

“That’s what I mean~! Master also hopes that the honeymoon relationship between the White Dragon Medical Pavilion and the Golden Blood Chamber will continue like this~”

“…Please make sure that the products you sell are proper.”

The rest was left to the conscience (?) of the Golden Blood Chamber, but fortunately, food items including rice balls were selling properly.

When the Hao Sect started selling them saying they were good, the forces of the martial world sharpened their swords inwardly.

Why?

Why are only those guys doing well?

Why are those guys making money like that?

Why on earth? Then… couldn’t we take it away?

Dark desires sharpened their blades.

The tail of the Blood Immortal Sect was no longer visible, the conflict between the Demonic Cult and the Martial Righteous Alliance had temporarily stopped, and the Unorthodox faction was also quiet now.

On the contrary, tension was rising in the martial world.

The knots of grudges created in the fight over the Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts began to rot slowly and spread a foul smell.

Time passed like that. Four months after Sama Hyeon and Cheon Woo started training at the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

Finally.

Cheon Woo had reached the supreme realm of the Transformation Realm.

***

His body was as heavy as a thousand pounds, and after sweating so much that no more sweat came out.

Relying solely on mental strength, Cheon Woo abused his body and repeated thinking over and over again.

“Cheon Woo, what do you think the Transformation Realm is?” his brother, who had reached the Transformation Realm, asked.

Cheon Woo knew that it was not a question asked out of ignorance.

And he intuitively knew that the moment he could answer it would be the moment he entered the Transformation Realm.

His brother continued.

“Hmm, I have a bad habit of theorizing everything, so I wanted to break down even the realm of Transformation Realm. I thought that the process of breaking it down and identifying it might be a way to approach the essence of martial arts.”

His brother looked strangely happy.

Like a child who received a new toy.

Breaking down the realm of Transformation Realm?

In a way, it was a question that would not yield an answer.

But his brother seemed to enjoy the process of observing, breaking down, and reassembling phenomena.

“Cheon Woo, the Transformation Realm means that our cognitive functions expand to another level.”

“If you can see the shape of a snowflake falling from the sky to the ground perfectly. And if you can split that snowflake exactly in half, that can be called the realm of Transformation Realm.”

“Of course, not just swinging roughly to split it.”

From beginning to end.

Until the falling snowflake touches the ground, melts, and freezes again.

His brother said that one must be able to see the life of the snowflake perfectly.

“Everyone is not good at it at first. But as you do it, you get better, and at the critical point, you leap.”

“That’s shedding. It’s both shedding[2] and molting[3]. It can be said to contain both meanings. That’s also the entrance to the next realm.”

If snowflakes are difficult, raindrops are also fine, his brother said with a smile.

In a way, it has similarities with Taiji, so it might suit you better as a member of the Wudang Sect.

“You can do it. I believe in you.”

People in the world say his brother is crazy, but Cheon Woo knew that his brother was just a little different from others.

The world has already given an answer, and he thinks that’s one correct answer.

But the answer his brother gave is also not wrong.

“Think of Taiji. Taiji can be said to be the harmony of two extremes interlocking with each other. But have you ever thought about how that’s possible?”

“The Dual Mind-Intention Technique plays the most important final role in creating Taiji. Therefore, even within the Wudang Sect, they carefully select people to transmit it, and only after receiving that transmission can one say they know a little about Taiji.”

Because of that Dual Mind-Intention Technique, a Taoist sold out the Wudang Sect.

He must have wanted to complete Taiji.

In the strange contradiction of selling the way of Taiji to know Taiji, his brother split the fire demons.

At that time, his brother was certainly closer to Taiji than Cheon Woo.

Then, how far has he gone now?

Restoring the formation, facing Jeong Gwang, extinguishing the fire demons, saving everyone with medicine, his brother collapsed once.

The collapsed brother reassembled himself again and walked forward silently.

At the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, he subdued the mad martial artists, treated them as a physician, fought with the Ten Heavenly Commanders, and collapsed once again.

And reassembled himself again.

Even in the small village he met on the way to the capital, his brother repeated that act.

Even in the process of acquiring the Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts, his brother did not hesitate to destroy his own body.

Fame and reputation that martial artists naturally want to be recognized for?

Has he ever cared about them?

Now, people in the world point fingers and say he’s crazy, but he doesn’t care.

Because he is confident that the answer he gave is not wrong.

Such an eccentric was his brother.

The one who gave him a name.

The only one who said he was special.

The advice from such a brother was bound to be special.