Iron Staff Peak
The sharpest peak at the easternmost edge of Nangyang, a place with terrain so rugged it defies description.
Swish.
A shadow moved along the steep mountain path as if it were flat ground. Between long, flowing hair, eyes as still as ice gleamed. The tightly pressed lips beneath a prominent nose seemed to reflect unwavering determination and an unyielding spirit.
It was Bu Eunseol.
In a single breath, he covered more than thirty paces, a testament to the profound depth of his internal energy.
Tap.
Finally reaching the summit, Bu Eunseol took a moment to catch his breath and gazed up at the piercingly blue sky.
Iron Staff Peak.
This was the place where he had formally begun learning martial arts upon entering Nangyang. Here, he had been taught the Ban-geuk, a method Blood Vajra claimed to be the supreme internal energy technique of the martial world.
‘But I’ve only learned it.’ Bu Eunseol could feel it. He had acquired martial arts too abruptly, leaving him with insufficient time to fully assimilate them. What he needed most was to organize his understanding of internal energy techniques.
‘There’s definitely a change in my internal energy.’ Since his dormant acupoints had been opened, several streams of powerful true energy had been stored within his body. Yet, he still didn’t know the extent of his internal energy or the level his technique had reached.
“It’s been a while.” A low voice sounded as a muscular middle-aged man in monk robes approached from behind Bu Eunseol.
It was Blood Vajra.
“Master.” Bu Eunseol clasped his hands and bowed respectfully.
Internal energy techniques are the foundation of martial arts. Though not formally master and disciple, Bu Eunseol inwardly regarded Blood Vajra as his teacher.
“I’ve heard of your exploits.” Blood Vajra nodded, noting the subtle glow in Bu Eunseol’s eyes. “You’ve grown even more in that time.”
“It’s all thanks to your teachings, Master.”
“Your eloquence has improved too.” Blood Vajra nodded with a satisfied expression. “Have you come with questions about internal energy techniques?”
“Yes.” Bu Eunseol spoke respectfully. “After experiencing various events, I realized I know nothing about the level of my internal energy or the stages of the Ban-geuk.”
“Hmm.” Blood Vajra nodded as if he had expected this. “It’s time for my final teachings.”
His eyes, gazing at Bu Eunseol, were filled with pride and astonishment.
“Even if you were a prodigy, I thought it would take at least three years of rigorous training to reach the third stage of the Ban-geuk.” Smiling faintly, Blood Vajra continued in a low voice. “But my predictions were wrong.”
He reached out and took Bu Eunseol’s pulse.
“Your current internal energy level slightly exceeds one gapja (60 years).”
“My internal energy exceeds one gapja?” Bu Eunseol asked, astonished.
“Your dormant acupoints have been awakened. As a result, the pure true energy you had accumulated through breath control has been converted into Ban-geuk qi.”
“Sixty years…” Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened. He had sensed his acupoints awakening, but he hadn’t known that converting pure true energy through the technique would cause his power to grow exponentially. “Can you discern everything by reading the pulse, Master?”
“No. Because you and I practice the same technique, I can easily gauge the flow of your true energy.” After a moment of thought, Bu Eunseol asked again, “Then how is internal energy measured?”
“It can be estimated through counterforce. When reading the pulse, the force that pushes back about one pun (0.3 cm) equates to roughly three years of internal energy.”
“Is there no other way to measure it?”
“There’s one other method—through an internal energy contest. By calculating the counterforce of an opponent’s energy pushing against yours, you can roughly estimate their level.” Blood Vajra continued his explanation without pause, detailing the stages of the Ban-geuk.
“For reference, your Ban-geuk has already reached the third stage. The Extreme Radiance is visible in your eyes, indicating you’ve entered the initial phase of the Pinnacle stage in martial arts terms.”
“The Pinnacle…?” Bu Eunseol blinked.
Blood Vajra gave a wry smile. “You haven’t even learned about martial arts stages.”
Smacking his lips, he explained, “The Pinnacle is a state where one surpasses the first-class level, with body and internal energy reaching their limits. Beyond that lies the Peak of Transcendence.”
“The Peak of Transcendence.…”
“Exactly. Reaching the ultimate peak of learned martial arts is called the Peak of Transcendence.. Beyond that is the Supreme Heavenly Stage.” Blood Vajra’s expression grew solemn. “At the Supreme Heavenly Stage, you can freely control your body and spirit, transcending the limitations of internal energy and physical constraints.”
Pausing briefly, he continued, “The overlords and masters who dominate a region have all reached this stage. Of course, even within the same stage, there are differences between the initial and final phases.”
“Are there stages beyond that?”
“Of course. When you reach the ultimate extreme of martial arts, everything you do becomes flawless—this is called the Infinite Stage. However, due to differences in enlightenment, even the Infinite Stage has subtle variations.”
After pondering, Bu Eunseol replied, “Then the masters who dominate the martial world must have reached the Infinite Stage.”
Blood Vajra nodded. “Indeed. Among them, the Sect Leader of Majeon and the Leader of the Martial Alliance are said to have reached the pinnacle of the Infinite Stage. They are collectively known as the Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteous and Demonic Paths.”
“The Twin Heavenly Emperors…” These were the two supreme masters overseeing the righteous and demonic factions, standing at the apex of the martial world.
“Below them are the Three Demons and the Three Venerables, followed by the Four Gods and Seven Kings.”
‘The martial world is filled with countless masters.’ The more Bu Eunseol listened to Blood Vajra’s explanations, the more he realized how limited his knowledge and experience were.
Then, a sudden thought struck him, and he asked, “If there are those who have reached the Infinite Stage, there must be a stage beyond it.”
“Indeed. It’s called the Heavenly Will Stage. It’s said to transcend human limits, allowing one to comprehend the will of the heavens—a boundless state of unity with the primordial existence. However, no one in martial history has ever reached this stage…”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath. Hearing about martial arts stages he had never known before, he began to see the path he must tread.
“Are your questions finished?” Blood Vajra asked.
Bu Eunseol snapped back to the present, remembering he was here to ask about internal energy, not martial stages.
“What happens when one reaches the third stage of the Ban-geuk?”
“First, you attain the state of Water and Fire Invulnerability.”
Water and Fire Invulnerability… Only then did Bu Eunseol understand why he had been unaffected by the icy chill of the crystals in the pond.
“Not only that, but because your energy flow becomes free, you can wield Energy-Driven Poison. In short, at the third stage, your internal energy is sufficient to make a name for yourself in the martial world.” Bu Eunseol didn’t stop asking questions. He had made a resolution before coming here, and this might be the last time he could see Blood Vajra.
“What about the fourth stage?”
“Upon reaching the fourth stage, you can generate Body-Protecting True Energy, akin to the Mysterious Way Flow, which shields your entire body. In martial arts terms, this is equivalent to breaking through the Pinnacle to reach the Peak of Transcendence..”
“The Peak of Transcendence.…”
“Exactly. At the fifth stage, you can materialize your internal energy. At this point, you surpass the Peak of Transcendence..” Blood Vajra continued, “According to the teachings, at the sixth stage, your internal energy becomes inexhaustible, reaching a boundless state. At the seventh stage, you transcend physical limitations. And at the eighth stage, you gain the power of nature itself, capable of influencing the creation and destruction of all things.”
“I don’t understand. How can a human wield the power of nature or influence creation and destruction?”
“The teachings are just that—teachings. Stages not yet reached are often filled with human imagination.” Blood Vajra gave a bittersweet smile. “I reached the peak of the fifth stage and never lost an internal energy contest against any master in the martial world. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t enter the sixth stage.”
Sighing deeply, he muttered, “Perhaps it’s an imaginary realm.”
All of Bu Eunseol’s questions had been answered. Blood Vajra looked into his eyes and smiled.
“So, have you decided to venture into the martial world?”
“How did you know?”
“Once you’ve reached the third stage, your energy will continue to grow daily, even without constant meditation.” Blood Vajra spoke calmly, as if he had already seen through Bu Eunseol’s intentions. “If you weren’t planning to enter the martial world, you wouldn’t have come to ask me all these questions.”
After a brief silence, Blood Vajra’s expression became lighter.
“With this, I’ve repaid all my debts to Nangyang. Now I can leave this place with a clear mind.”
“Are you leaving immediately?”
“Well…” From his tone and expression, it didn’t seem like he was leaving Nangyang right away. “Wherever I am, you don’t need to concern yourself. We’re all under the same sky, aren’t we?”
Smiling faintly, Blood Vajra patted Bu Eunseol’s shoulder.
“The martial world is a stormy place. Take care of yourself.” His voice, though gruff, carried deep affection.
Suppressing the emotions welling up in his chest, Bu Eunseol clasped his hands and bowed deeply.
“Until we meet again, take care, Master.” Returning to his quarters, Bu Eunseol fell into deep thought.
Though he had gained enough internal energy to operate in the martial world, he realized he knew little about martial arts themselves.
‘Looking back, I’ve learned quite a few techniques.’
At Hell Island, he had learned the basics of the Beast Way and the Hwa Wu Sword, as well as the supreme killing sword technique, Unmatched Thunderbolt Form. At Nangyang, he had mastered internal energy techniques, movement techniques, and footwork. From Dan Cheon, he had learned the foundations of practical martial arts. And through real battles with the Changsin Unit, he had faintly grasped the Heavenly Tyrant Sword Momentum, the Dual Mind Dual Use Technique, and the secrets of the Heavy Sword.
‘But… I have nothing truly my own.’
He had learned martial arts too abruptly and lacked the time to fully assimilate them. Even the Unmatched Thunderbolt Form from Cheon Un-gwang was still beyond his full control.
‘The problem is, there’s no time.’
He was already marked as a person of interest by White Horse Temple, the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, Majeon’s former sect leader Jeokbung, and even the Martial Alliance. Instead of taking three years to master Nangyang’s techniques, he needed to become strong enough to escape their grasp in a short time.
‘There’s only one way.’
There was no time to leisurely learn martial arts.
‘I must master techniques through real combat.’ Bu Eunseol clenched his fist. Nangyang’s martial arts were all practical. Learning through traditional methods—oral teachings, written manuals, or practice—had its limits.
‘It was the same when I learned from Master Sa Woo.’
Sa Woo had taught him the Beast Way by actually attacking him. Gowol, who taught him Swift Beyond Shadow, and Dan Cheon, who taught the basics of practical martial arts, had shown him through real combat rather than demonstrations. Knowing this, Bu Eunseol had joined the Changsin Unit to undertake missions and learn their secrets.
‘If I experience real combat instead of practice, I’ll be able to make the techniques I’ve learned my own.’ With his mind made up, Bu Eunseol stood.
“To do that…” Looking at the distant sky through the window, his eyes gleamed. He realized what was most necessary to venture into the martial world.
***
The Martial World’s Situation
“The martial world’s situation?” Baek Yeon, sipping tea in a pavilion, blinked.
Bu Eunseol had unexpectedly come to ask about the current state of the martial world.
“Are you interested in the martial world’s situation because you want to become an official member of this squad?”
The Peongan Corps was Nangyang’s intelligence organization. Its members traveled the martial world, handling high-purity information and secrets. Yet, Bu Eunseol, recognized by Dan Cheongfor his martial talent, was showing interest in the Changsin Corps?
“No, I just want information about the current martial world and its sects.”
“The martial world and its sects…” Baek Yeon furrowed his brow, realizing Bu Eunseol’s true intentions. “You always choose the difficult and dangerous path.”
Sighing deeply, he shook his head. “The information I have could affect the martial world’s balance. I can’t share it with someone who isn’t a member of the Changsin Corps.”
“Understood.” Without further argument, Bu Eunseol clasped his hands and stepped back. Seeing his resolute demeanor, Baek Yeon spoke in a low voice.
“Go to Master Iron.”
“…?”
“He’ll know best what you want to learn.”
“Thank you.” Bu Eunseol headed straight to the forge where Master Iron, Wang Geol, resided.
Leaving the pavilion’s path, he entered a bustling market street. As he walked through the shop-lined area, he heard a rhythmic clanging from afar—the sound of Wang Geol’s forge.
Clang, clang.
Watching Wang Geol hammer away impassively, Bu Eunseol suddenly felt a strange question arise.
Now that I think about it, it’s odd.
Those called “Master” in Nangyang were equivalent to elders or senior figures in other sects. Yet Wang Geol toiled at the forge at Nangyang’s entrance, crafting weapons and answering questions willingly. Upon reflection, Bu Eunseol felt that this life might not have been Wang Geol’s choice.
Step, step.
As Bu Eunseol approached the forge, Wang Geol, still hammering, spoke without looking up.
“What is it?”
“I have a question.”
“Speak.”
“I want to know about the current state of the martial world.”
“The martial world’s situation…” Wang Geol stopped hammering and straightened up.
Looking into Bu Eunseol’s eyes, he nodded slightly. “Follow me.”
