Seol-Hwi could not communicate with her in a casual manner.
She was a woman who could discern his progress at first sight. He was unsure of her intentions, but there was no need to create any issues at the moment.
Thus, he chose to remain silent.
?
Chrik. Chrik.
The water bugs started to chirp softly by the streams edge. A couple of minutes passed this way, and the woman then clasped her hands together and bowed.
I apologize for my rudeness. It was not my intention to unilaterally judge others upon meeting them. I did not mean to unsettle you like this.
A formal way of saying sorry, but Seol-Hwis demeanor remained unchanged.
Observing this, she continued,
To you, I am merely a stranger. However, to me, you are a friend I have reunited with after a long time in fact, I have been anticipating this for the past year.
And?
Upon Seol-Hwis inquiry, she responded as if expecting it.
The natural flow things began to shift from there. At times calm like a river, at times raging like a fierce storm. Naturally, it would have caught your attention, wouldnt it?
Not just with the eyes.
Upon hearing these words, Seol-Hwi had a realization.
This woman could perceive the natural flow.
The airflow he had consciously manipulated during his year of training. Seol-Hwi had willed the flow to be strong and could sense it.
It had been intentional, yet he had not believed anyone would have noticed.
However, if it was someone of such caliber, the situation changed entirely.
Seol-Hwi then inquired, joining his hands in responding,
What kind of martial arts does the Emei Sect teach, Satae?
Oh.
She gently smiled at Seol-Hwis question and then shook her head.
You seem to have misunderstood. While I reside there, I am not one of their members. I am merely one who scares off the tigers in the vicinity.
Mount Emei had been known as a place teeming with tigers since ancient times. Thats why the Fuhu Temple, now an important temple, and the martial arts of the Emei Sect were developed to make tigers retreat.
For a person with a complete body and no missing parts, confronting and chasing a tiger was quite ordinary.
It made sense.
But with such basic self-defense skills, could she understand his progress? Could that be comprehended?
If youre not a martial arts expert, how can you perceive the natural order? Isnt that something only those with exceptional strength can grasp?
Hmm, how can I explain this
The woman paused for a moment. She glanced around and then chose her words.
Do you know about the Inner Cannon of the Yellow Emperor?
I do. The ancient texts compiled by the emperor, right? Arent they the foundation of medical literature? For healing?
Exactly. So, were all those physicians warriors? How did they comprehend the acupoints and meridians, which are invisible to the naked eye?
Hmmm.
Seol-Hwi felt like a nail had been driven into his head.
The acupoints, meridians, blood points, and the vast knowledge of the human body were not exclusive to warriors.
Physicians and healers had disseminated this knowledge through books, understanding energy flow. The Wudang Sect had embraced them, organizing their knowledge systematically.
They were the first to diagnose illnesses visually, feel pulses through blood vessels, identify muscle and bone structures, and discover acupoints and meridians.
So, what are you suggesting?
Yes. Even if youre not a warrior, through diligent study and enlightenment, you can perceive the natural order with your own eyes.
The woman nodded.
She gazed at Seol-Hwi once more and spoke calmly.
There are various training methods in Buddhism, but at Emei, we emphasize the precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Among the Buddhas teachings, the precepts help us understand normal norms, concentration keeps the mind undistracted, and wisdom involves thorough training for better understanding. I can share this much with you; through this, you can intuit the mind and unify it.
In essence, her achievement was not solely due to her prowess as a warrior but because she followed the Buddhist way of life and mastered her mind.
Seol-Hwi nodded calmly.
Miss Cheons master followed the same path.
This realization eased his anxiety a bit.
The nun before him was undeniably remarkable, but her excellence did not stem solely from martial arts training.
Currently, he had 100 lives remaining to keep trying and striving.
What if the level of the Demon God was completely different from what he had anticipated? What would be his course of action then?
Amitabha. It is said that Man proposes and God disposes, but even if your decision seems reckless, I wish you success on the path you choose.
Seol-Hwis heart was shaken once more.
How much did she truly understand?
Despite his efforts to disclose as few crucial details as possible, he was amazed by her comprehension and responses.
Was that the reason?
Have you heard of antithesis?
Seol-Hwi was now beginning to confide in her about his predicament. The dark arts and the arts of the Justice faction.
His endeavor to merge the two distinct martial arts.
I know it may be risky, but I am determined to attempt it.
The woman fell silent for a moment.
Seol-Hwi persisted.
Becoming a God is one path, but I am aware that it is no easy feat, no matter how long one lives. It takes even a thousand years for an Imoogi to ascend to a dragon.
Although it may seem unattainable, I have already tasted it once at a lower level. And through that process, I harnessed the power of nature.
Nature you mean the wellspring of power?
The woman appeared quite taken aback.
Ah
Her lips parted, and she shook her head as if struggling to comprehend this.
Did she deem it impossible?
However.
No. You will perish.
?!
Seol-Hwis head snapped up abruptly.
Though he knew little about her, he sensed that she could grasp his essence with just a few words.
The thought of his own demise left him utterly desolate.
You can achieve harmony in the Supreme state. That power lies in nature because it is limited.
Then?
A direct combination of demonic arts and justice arts? That is fusion. Light and heavy. It wont worry. This is the law of nature and how the land works.
Achieving that requires a force beyond nature. Nature rules. Beyond that, it is all a matter of whether one can handle the energy of the universe. Only God can do it.
Hmm.
This made Seol-Hwi nervous.
She suddenly raised her eyes and looked up and spoke as if scolding Seol-Hwi,
It will balance things out, but it will not be enough to kill God. Well, I think it would be possible if the power of infinity and nature is used.
Unless he was stronger than the true God Seol-Hwi agreed to it.
He just has god-like powers, but was not a real god. Moreover, he would not be a god capable of blocking the other power.
So you are saying its possible to strike that balance?
It will not be easy but I think its possible for you. Even if you die, you will be reborn.
!?
Seol-Hwi sighed now.
Does she know that he had gone through life and death too many times? He was curious to see what level this woman was at.
You probably have a lot of questions, but actually, I do too. About the person you are.
Then ask me
Is that needed though?
?
You will meet me again. Not in this life
In the next life and the life after that.
She laughed, leaving Seol-Hwi confused. She could not understand at all how scared Seol-Hwi felt of her now.