Wudang Sacred Scriptures

The image of Jeol-ae Peak appeared in Kwak Yeon’s mind as if viewed from the sky, having shaken off all other thoughts.@@novelbin@@

The rocky eaves jutted out sharply, yet the upper part seemed to form a gentle roof, which is why it was also called the Satgat Peak.

If only he could get past the rocky eaves, the distance would close instantly.

The problem was that he had to hang from the empty space of the rocky eaves and crawl past a dangerous gap.

Although he was tied with a safety rope, if his strength gave out halfway, he would fall to the cliff below and be severely injured.

“…!”

Kwak Yeon noticed that the ceiling of the rocky eaves had formed into steps.

He thought to himself that if he used his martial arts skills, it might be possible.

Looking at the ceiling with its stepped wall, he mentally mapped out the poses and movements he needed to make.

It’s definitely possible! If only my stamina holds up.

He had indeed grown significantly. The scrawny little kid, once like a starved donkey, had developed into a solid figure recognized as a worthy competitor by Seok Jangsan.

However, the rocky eaves were a route that everyone else had given up on.

But can I really do it?

He absolutely did not want to stop.

I’m going to try!

Kwak Yeon crawled beneath the right-angled eaves and pressed his hands firmly against the cliff rocks.

His body, which had been slipping, now stabilized.

The problem was that he would need to keep exerting strength to maintain his position.

Kwak Yeon imagined the Jeol-ae Peak as a giant, trying to shake him off.

It was huge and powerful, but its strength had a direction, didn’t it?

The martial techniques he had learned were all about facing the strength of his opponents in various ways.

As he realized this, his fear dissipated.

That’s right, it’s just a giant with a lot of strength! I’ve learned countless ways to use that strength.

With the fear gone, a sense of exhilaration took over.

Each step forward was a joy of overcoming. Moreover, the techniques he had struggled and trained so hard to learn were now working.

Kwak Yeon wedged his upper arm into the gap in the ceiling and expanded his muscles, pushing against the downward force.

With that, he was able to rise up onto the eaves.

However, moving forward was another problem.

Kwak Yeon spread his hands and feet against the stepped rocky wall on the ceiling.

Now looking like a giant turtle with a massive rocky shell, he moved one hand forward, followed by lifting his opposite foot to move forward.

The techniques he had mastered with Solgak were working, but it was demanding a tremendous amount of energy.

His hands and feet were already trembling.

Fatigue had arrived far sooner than he had expected.

Kwak Yeon thought about the Celestial Meridian Map and began practicing Danjeon Breathing.

It was his method for recovering from fatigue.

As he did so, he imagined sending his vital energy through his hands and feet.

It was all just an imagination, but somehow it made him feel better.

The tremors in his hands and feet lessened, confirming the effectiveness of his recovery method.

Kwak Yeon began moving forward again.

“…!”

At some point, a vast pine forest spread out below him.

He could even see the school grounds. The dormitories and buildings looked like tiny wooden boxes.

It felt as though he were floating in the sky.

Kwak Yeon felt a refreshing sensation in his chest.

Was this the reward for overcoming his fear, showing him this magnificent scene?

It was exhilarating.

Had he not chosen the rocky eaves, he would never have experienced such a spectacle.

Ah! When I cultivate my inner energy to its peak, the way I see the world will change like this.

Suddenly, that thought came to Kwak Yeon.

How wonderful would that world be?

He vaguely understood why martial artists become so obsessed with their arts.

It wasn’t just the joy of achieving something. It wasn’t only about becoming stronger than others to win.

If that were the case, there would be plenty of other ways.

It’s because you know that the world you see changes!

He felt an intense desire to reach the peak of Jeol-ae.

Not for anyone else, not to keep a promise.

But because he wanted to see the world from a higher vantage point, step by step.

To do that…

Kwak Yeon refocused on the giant of Jeol-ae Peak, which was still trying to shake him off.

Up until now, I’ve been thinking only of using or avoiding its strength.

Now, the giant’s weaknesses were slowly becoming visible. There were protruding rocky ledges and gaps in the stepped walls.

It was not impossible to climb. If he could match his responses to the situation and endure the strain.

I’ll collide head-on with it.

Kwak Yeon began to move forward slowly.

As the gaps in the stepped cliff widened, it became increasingly difficult to advance while bracing himself with his limbs.

Fortunately, the ceiling wall had deep grooves like dried wood splitting.

He had to grab the grooves, which were about three finger-lengths deep, and crawl past.

I have to focus all my strength into my fingertips.

Kwak Yeon concentrated on sending the energy of the Celestial Meridian Map into his fingertips. The bones, muscles, and blood vessels in his fingers were vivid in his mind.

He imagined gathering his vital energy into the tips of his fingers.

Of course, the vital energy couldn't actually move, but the imagination made him feel more powerful and less fatigued.

There was no reason to stop now.

He had to do whatever he could to press on.

“The fingertips are never weak. The difference between humans and animals is that we have hands. The foundation of all martial arts is the finger technique, and it must never be neglected in training.”

Kwak Yeon resonated deeply with his instructor’s words on finger technique.

His fingertips were the furthest part of his body, where all the energy channels converged.

That was why he could feel such delicate sensations.

Kwak Yeon took a deep breath and pressed his fingers into the groove of the ceiling, hanging there.

Chief Instructor Kang Ik-yu watched anxiously as Kwak Yeon hung from the rocky eaves.

“Chief Instructor, should we go up?”

The assistant instructor, who was watching with him, asked worriedly, but Kang Ik-yu shook his head.

“We should not interfere unless he calls for help.”

“But that route... isn’t it impossible?”

It was a section that no trainee had ever passed in the many years of training.

“Wouldn’t it be better to go up and explore another route?”

“Do you think he has any chance of making it into the top eight?”

“Well…”

There were already quite a few trainees who were nearing the summit of Jeol-ae Peak.

“Let’s just watch. He’s properly tied to the safety rope, so even if he fails, it shouldn’t be dangerous.”

“Understood.”

The Gap-rank trainees were becoming more and more reckless as time passed. Many, having slipped, hung from their safety ropes and blew the horn of surrender.

This was a side effect of the drastic reduction in the number of trainees promoted.

Fortunately, no one had been seriously injured so far.

But Kwak Yeon... He had taken a risky move, and surely, he would end up hurt badly.

They should have told him to give up immediately.

However, there was something about Kwak Yeon that made Kang Ik-yu hesitate.

This was not something that could be achieved by mere luck—the child who had the weakest body had climbed all the way to Gap-rank, a feat that even Seok Jangsan had acknowledged.

Kang Ik-yu watched Kwak Yeon with a quiet, supportive heart.

At this point, Kwak Yeon was moving like a monkey climbing a tree.

His stamina was truly remarkable.

It was well-known that the trainees hadn’t been practicing internal energy cultivation. It was a testament to his three years of effort that he had grown such a strong body.

Is that really possible?!

While Kang Ik-yu marveled, Kwak Yeon finally reached the very edge of the rocky ridge.

Though he had arrived, the final obstacle lay ahead— a round, blunt boulder standing like a threshold.

Kwak Yeon looked at the smooth rock, confused.

There was not a single crack or even a small fissure to grip. It had been smoothed out over the years by rain and wind.

He had hoped that getting closer might reveal something to hold onto.

But there was nothing, not even a post to attach a safety rope to.

It was a path no one had ever chosen, and even the martial arts instructors had found it inaccessible.

If I use my small muscles to stick to the rock and crawl like a snail...

Kwak Yeon took off his outer robe while hanging from the ceiling like a bat.

Whoosh!

His robe, like a skin shedding, fluttered in the wind and drifted far below.

Kwak Yeon pressed his upper body, even his cheek, flat against the rock surface.

In this position, with his body completely adhered to the rock, he began to climb.

Squirm! Squirm!

The moment his upper body came out beyond the boulder, his body tilted downward.

—Thud! Swoosh!

With his palm and cheek pressed flat against the rock, he barely stopped himself from falling.

That was close!

Hanging onto the boulder with his upper body, he felt stuck.

He could no longer push himself upward, and if he moved even a little, he felt as though he would slip and fall.

But staying still was even more dangerous. If he didn’t move forward, his energy would soon be depleted.

Huff...

Kwak Yeon took a deep breath and used the Byeokhoji technique to press his entire body against the rock.

Crack!

He pressed his cheek back against the stone and, inch by inch, began to pull himself up.

Each small movement felt like his entire body was being strained. His energy was running low.

The world in front of him began to spin.

His cheek had scraped against the rock, and sticky blood flowed.

There was no time to feel pain.

Kwak Yeon gritted his teeth and continued to crawl upward.

If I stop, it’s over.

But eventually, he reached his limit.

He knew that any small movement would cause him to slip.

He was stuck, unable to move forward or go back.

At that moment, a voice came from above.

“I know you don’t have the strength to call for help right now.”

It was Chief Instructor Kang Ik-yu’s voice.

“Give up. Say it, and I’ll pull you up.”

“…”

Many trainees were already close to the summit of Jeol-ae Peak.

“Let’s watch him. His strength has proven itself, even if he doesn’t make it to the Main Sect. He has the potential to become the best as an Outer Sect disciple.”

“…”

“Everyone is already trying to make you an Outer Sect disciple. So… just say you’re done.”

If this were the old Kwak Yeon, he would have definitely agreed.

But now, Kwak Yeon had found his dream. It was something that could only be achieved by becoming a Main Sect disciple.

“No, I can do it.”

There was no way for Kang Ik-yu to help him unless he gave up.

“Then do it your way.”

Kang Ik-yu had no choice but to prepare for the worst and leave Kwak Yeon to his decision.

Kwak Yeon felt like he had finally reached the final, overwhelming resistance of the giant.

The giant is pressing down on me with all its might.

As he imagined it, he realized he was facing that force head-on.

I’ve only been trying to climb. How can I resist this giant’s strength with the least amount of force?

Having studied the human body through the Celestial Meridian Map, he understood that to oppose a powerful force, he had to find the center of that opposing force.

That’s how I can dodge it.