Chapter 1

Hyun-gyeong and Talma

Martial arts can be broadly divided into two categories: Jeong (正) and Sa (邪). At some point, the origins of martial arts were divided into these two, and they repeatedly engaged in blood feuds and mutual enmity, to the point where the initial reasons for their conflicts became obscure. The Jeong faction viewed the Sa faction as enemies, and the Sa faction viewed the Jeong faction as enemies, using any means necessary to kill each other.

The martial arts of the Jeong faction grew based on the two true scriptures of Yeggeun (易筋) and Sesu (洗髓) that Dharma spread in the Central Plains. Most of these martial arts were derived from Buddhist or Taoist traditions. The so-called Five Great Families also originated from outstanding lay disciples among the nine schools and one gang (九派一幇). As outstanding individuals emerged from these schools and established new schools, the distinctions between them became increasingly blurred over time.

Ancient martial arts began by imitating the movements of wild beasts and birds. The famous Shaolin Five Fists (小林五拳) were based on the movements of tigers, leopards, snakes, monkeys, and cranes. Sword techniques (劍法) passed down from Taoism (道家) also started by imitating animals. These sword techniques (劍法), saber techniques (刀法), spear techniques (槍法), staff techniques (棒法), fist techniques (拳法), and palm techniques (掌法) are collectively referred to as external martial arts (外家武功).

In contrast, internal martial arts (內家武功) originated from breathing techniques (吐納術) such as Dantian breathing (丹田呼吸) and methods of exhaling and inhaling. If one practices these breathing techniques repeatedly from a young age, an invisible and intangible force called internal power (內功) accumulates in the body. This internal power can be channeled into fists, palms, or swords, and is called internal martial arts (內家武功). As internal power accumulates, it circulates through the body, amplifying its strength and increasing the rate at which internal power accumulates. Different methods of channeling this power through specific meridians have led to various techniques of internal cultivation.

In the Jeong faction, internal power is cultivated slowly. Without obtaining the true internal power of another person or consuming elixirs, it is generally impossible to become a top expert before the age of 40, even with constant practice day and night. To become a supreme expert, one must be over 60 years old. Of course, there are those who use innate divine strength to practice external martial arts, but without internal power, it is difficult to join the ranks of top experts. Despite this, there are various methods of cultivating martial arts within the Jeong faction, but they do not use radical methods to quickly accumulate internal power like the Devil Sect.

The Jeong faction has many prestigious schools (名門) that are mostly of Taoist or Buddhist origin and have produced many outstanding experts, earning them the title of prestigious schools. While the disciples of prestigious schools often look down on and belittle the minor schools (傍門外道) as inferior, the true strength of the Jeong faction lies not in the few prestigious schools but in the vast number of minor schools. Most minor schools practice and teach external martial arts rather than internal martial arts because they lack excellent internal cultivation techniques. As a result, they resort to teaching external martial arts.

Prestigious schools (名家) often pass on their true internal power (眞身內功) to their successors or give them elixirs to rapidly accumulate internal power. These schools teach their orthodox martial arts, and their disciples are called direct successors (適傳弟子). Disciples who are not direct successors have much weaker internal power, and even when using the same techniques, their power is at least ten times weaker.

When passing on true internal power, the person giving the power often suffers immense pain, so even close family members are hesitant to do so. Additionally, there is a risk when receiving true internal power. If the internal power is of the same nature, there is no problem, but if it is of a different nature, it can conflict with the recipient's own internal power, leading to adverse results.

Internal power can also be infused into others for healing or attacking purposes. However, this infused internal power is not true internal power and will dissipate after a certain period, and the person infusing the power can quickly recover their internal strength.

High-level experts of the Jeong faction who have cultivated their internal power to an exceptional level are called the Three Realms (三境) experts. As one becomes a supreme expert, their internal power and martial skills are almost proportional, making it difficult to find a match once they reach the Three Realms.

The First Realm (第一境) is the Creation Realm (造化境), also known as the Transformation Realm (化境). This refers to experts who have harmonized the three transformations (天地人) and the five elements (水木金火土) within their bodies, achieving the Three Transformations Gathering at the Crown (三化聚頂) and the Five Elements Creating the Origin (五氣造元). At this level, they undergo a transformation (換骨奪胎) that changes their entire body to the optimal state for martial arts, experiencing a rejuvenation (反老換童). At this stage, they can kill with sound and topple small mountains with a finger. There are currently eight such experts, known as the Three Emperors and Five Kings (三皇五帝). They have similar levels of martial arts, but the Three Emperors are slightly more powerful than the Five Kings. The Jeong faction also refers to the four most outstanding experts produced by the Devil Sect as the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王), revealing a subtle sense of pride among the Jeong faction experts. Although there was once a high-level expert in the Jeong faction, the current strongest experts are revered by all righteous martial artists.

The Second Realm (第二境) is the Mystic Realm (玄境), the gateway to the divine. At this level, the body becomes even more advanced, becoming invulnerable to all poisons (萬毒不侵) and reaching a state where no vital energy is externally visible (返縛歸眞). When an older person reaches this realm, their hair turns black again, and new teeth grow, effectively restoring perfect youth. They can kill with the aura emitted from their body, and only one person in thousands of years of martial history has reached this realm: the founder of the First Gate (天下第一門), the Great Swordsman (神劍大俠) Gu Hui. This Mystic Realm is the highest level of human achievement in martial arts.

The final Third Realm (第三境) is the Immortal Realm (生死境), the true realm of the divine, where one transcends life and death and comprehends the laws of the universe. This is the highest level of martial arts, but no one has ever come close to it, making it a completely unknown world. In thousands of years of martial history, no one has ever reached this realm, known as the Supreme Realm (至高無常). Some even criticize that the Immortal Realm is a fabrication by people who enjoy talking about non-existent things.

While the Jeong faction's martial arts are as described, the Sa faction's martial arts follow a completely different path. The Sa faction's martial arts naturally developed in the Central Plains, unlike those transmitted by Dharma. Therefore, they adopt different methods of breathing techniques. The majority of the Sa faction, including the Green Forest (綠林) and small, short-lived schools that practice Sa faction martial arts, have inferior internal power techniques compared to the Jeong faction. To compensate, they develop techniques to counter other martial arts and create bizarre techniques. As a result, external martial arts that excel in technique are mainstream in the Sa faction. This allows one to become a high-level expert relatively quickly, even with only a little skill and practice. However, because most Jeong faction experts are inexperienced, these techniques are quite threatening. The Sa faction also develops and uses various weapons for practical combat and frequently employs hidden weapons.

However, there is another school that follows a different path from the general Sa faction: the Devil Sect (魔敎). In the Devil Sect, various systematic breathing techniques have been developed over a long history and tradition. They chose the Reverse Meridian Qi Gong (逆穴氣功), which allows the fastest achievement of internal power. After discovering that circulating internal power in the opposite direction of the usual path can rapidly accumulate internal power, the Devil Sect has produced many experts through this technique. Over time, various techniques of Reverse Meridian Qi Gong have been developed, and many tyrannical demonic techniques have been created, cutting off the breath of the Jeong faction.

Cultivating internal power quickly has many advantages but also some drawbacks. First, the risk of going astray (走火入魔) is very high. The faster the internal power accumulates, the higher the risk. Therefore, when new members join the Devil Sect, they use the fastest techniques to accumulate internal power, but once they reach a certain level, they switch to safer methods. Thus, the Devil Sect has systematic cultivation techniques for experts at each level. This is because losing the internal power accumulated through hard work and even risking one's life is a serious matter.

However, the advantages are so significant that they can make one forget the risk of going astray. In the Devil Sect, one can become a top expert in their 20s and a supreme expert in their 30s. Therefore, Devil Sect experts use internal martial arts that involve palm wind (掌風), finger wind (指風), sword wind (劍風), and sword qi (劍氣) to attack enemies, with particularly developed techniques for emitting tyrannical palm wind.

The second drawback is the risk of dispersing internal power (散功). This involves the sudden disappearance of the internal power one has accumulated, accompanied by immense pain. The duration of this pain varies depending on the amount of internal power accumulated, with top experts experiencing longer periods of pain. However, this is not a significant issue in the Devil Sect because dispersing internal power usually occurs just before death due to old age or illness. Therefore, Devil Sect experts hope to meet a peaceful death like Jeong faction experts.

Another drawback is that after reaching a certain level, one's progress seems to hit a wall. Devil Sect experts call this the "invisible wall," and breaking through it leads to the realm of the ultimate demon (極魔).

Just as the Jeong faction has the Three Realms, the Devil Sect has a realm they aspire to. The first is the ultimate demon (極魔) realm, the peak of demonic beings. At this level, one undergoes a transformation (換骨奪胎) that changes their entire body to the optimal state for martial arts, achieving rejuvenation (反老換童).

Ultimate demon experts gather demonic qi (魔氣) evenly within their bodies, naturally emitting it to intimidate people. Weak internal power users may lose their will, and ordinary people may lose their lives just from this. They can also completely conceal their demonic qi within their bodies if they choose.

By emitting demonic qi alone, they can kill people around them and topple small mountains with a finger, similar to the Jeong faction's Transformation Realm. There are currently four experts who have reached this realm, known as the Four Demon Emperors (四魔帝) or the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王), who are feared. They usually do not reveal their demonic qi, but when they are in a bad mood, they unconsciously emit a lethal demonic aura, causing their subordinates to feel a chilling fear.

The second realm is the Transcendent Demon (脫魔) realm, the highest level a demonic being can reach. At this level, one becomes invulnerable to all poisons (萬毒不侵). No one has yet reached this realm, so it is speculated to be similar to the Jeong faction's Mystic Realm. The reason for this speculation is that it is believed that one does not experience the risk of dispersing internal power, which all demonic beings fear. In any case, it is considered the highest level of demonic arts.

There is no higher level, but some demonic beings speculate that the level above the ultimate demon and the Transformation Realm might be similar to the Jeong faction's Immortal Realm. They argue that although the starting points of martial arts are different, the end result is the same. However, the Jeong faction dismisses this speculation as mere fantasy, as no one has yet reached the Transcendent Demon realm.

The Beginning of Destiny

At the annual regular meeting (定期集會) where all elders of the Devil Sect gather, the Sect Leader suddenly proposed an unusual agenda. The current Devil Sect Leader, Black Demon Great Emperor (黑魔大帝) Han Jung-gil, is a high-level expert who has reached the ultimate demon realm, appearing to be in his late 20s. He can easily conceal his demonic aura but prefers to emit it subtly. His cultivated Purple Lightning Demon Power (紫電魔功) gives his body a faint purple hue, making him appear eerie.

"Our sect is the largest school in the Sa faction, with nearly 20,000 experts. However, excluding the subordinates dispatched to various branches, there are not even 10,000 truly capable experts. Among them, only about 5,000 can be considered elite. We are always at a disadvantage compared to the trash of the Jeong faction. Is there no good solution?"

The Three-Faced Demon (三面人魔) Xiao Wu-mian, an elder, raised an objection. He is the 15th-ranked veteran expert in the Devil Sect and is responsible for the Purple Star Ten Thousand Demon Corps (紫星萬魔隊). As his nickname suggests, he has three faces: a mad laugh and cruel hands in battles with the Jeong faction, the benevolence of a living Buddha (活佛) to ordinary people, and a strict, meticulous, and considerate demeanor within the sect. He is a popular elder among many subordinates.

"The Jeong faction's trash can be defeated with our current strength. Why complain about the lack of experts?"

In response, Elder Wang Zi-ying, known as Red Eyebrow Beauty (赤眉艷), answered on behalf of the Sect Leader. She is a woman who has reached the 3rd rank among elders and the 6th rank in the Devil Sect. She wears provocative clothing that reveals her slender and alluring legs. Her long eyebrows have a slight red tint due to her long-cultivated Crimson Blood Asura Demon Power (赤血修羅魔功). She is a brilliant strategist with excellent martial skills and is deeply loved by the Sect Leader, both in and out of the bedroom. Thanks to her immense internal power and the Pearl Face Technique (珠顔術), she maintains the alluring beauty of a woman in her mid-20s and is the leader of the Three Secret Corps (三秘隊), the sect's intelligence agency.

"Hmm, I will explain the reason. The movements of the Asura Blood Sect (阿修血敎) have been detected, though they are still minor."

Since no one had heard of the Asura Blood Sect before, the chief elder, Demon Sword Ghost (魔天劍鬼) Lu Qie-po, asked:

"What is the Asura Blood Sect?"

Elder Wang Zi-ying answered politely:

"It is the successor to the Blood Sect (血敎), just a name change."

Thinking of the intense battle with the Blood Sect 80 years ago, the assembly sighed quietly.

"Hmm..."

Elder Wang Zi-ying continued:

"There would be no major problem in a confrontation with the Jeong faction, but if the Asura Blood Sect is involved, it will not be easy. Have you forgotten the battle with the Blood Sect? When we clashed with them, 40% of our forces were destroyed. It took us 50 years to recover from that blow. We also need to consider the movements of the Dark Demon Sect. Although their movements are hard to detect, it is best to be cautious."

The Blood Sect used techniques and methods to compensate for their inferior martial arts by creating zombies and soulless beings. The Jeong faction's intelligence agency was the first to detect their movements. However, dealing with the powerful destructive force of zombies and the strange techniques required experts with at least 10 years of internal power cultivation. The Jeong faction cleverly manipulated the situation to make the Devil Sect clash with the Blood Sect first. While the Jeong faction pretended to help, the Devil Sect suffered significant losses.

This might have been the first time the Jeong faction and the Devil Sect formed an alliance. The Jeong faction sent only supreme experts to help, and after the battle, they imposed a gag order on the participants. The Devil Sect did not publicize the event, so the alliance remained a secret. If the Jeong faction had not helped, the Devil Sect's losses would have been even greater.

Another group that can be considered a bastard child of the Devil Sect is the Dark Demon Sect. After the battle with the Blood Sect, this group, inspired by the various techniques obtained from the Blood Sect, advocated using similar strange techniques. The techniques used by the Blood Sect were a fresh (and perhaps shocking) experience for the Devil Sect. When the Sect Leader rejected their proposal, the deputy leader, Zhang Ren-ge, led his followers and the captured books and quietly left. He later changed his name to Black Death Demon Emperor (黑殺魔帝) and founded the Dark Demon Sect, a unique group combining the Devil Sect's martial arts and the Blood Sect's strange techniques.

Hearing this, Elder Asura Sword Ninja (阿修劍忍) Li Qing, the 14th-ranked leader of the Devil Sect and the leader of the Yanwang Corps (閻王隊), cautiously suggested:

"What if we train more elite experts?"

The Sect Leader showed some interest:

"I would like to train more experts, but what method would be best?"

"Contact each branch and kidnap talented children under the age of 10 in large numbers. To avoid detection by the government or the Jeong faction, we should kidnap about 3,000 children."

Elder Xiao Wu-mian, the Three-Faced Demon, directly opposed this idea:

"Until now, we have kidnapped about 300 children each year to turn them into warriors. Suddenly kidnapping 3,0