Chapter 72 : Chapter 72

Chapter 72. Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, Sixth Stage

After seeing off the benefactors and just as I was about to catch my breath, my father Dancheon Gang and Uncle Yeo Baek approached me.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Uncle Yeo Baek, who asked the question, looked less fine, so I was once again reminded of the efficacy of the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

My father, who had been silent for a moment, spoke.

“You saved the clan.”

But I…….

“……No, I did not.”

I could only answer like this.

It was true that the connections I had built had been a great help in saving the clan.

But it was also true that I did not know how to answer, as all this trouble had originated from me.

However, what was certain was that I currently lacked strength.

Having experienced the might of the Heavenly Demon, I could not help but know that my level, having achieved the Fifth Stage, was still insufficient.

I would have to grow stronger, so the Sixth Stage was inevitable.

For a moment, a solemn atmosphere settled in.

“You!”

A familiar voice was heard.

Dozens of martial artists were following behind Yang Su-rin, who was running in a hurry. They were the martial artists of the Yang Clan.

That many would be the maximum force a Branch Lord could operate at her discretion.

“What is it?”

“I heard that a great disaster had befallen the Dancheon Clan.”

Yang Su-rin, who said so, scanned the Dancheon Clan. It would not be difficult to guess that the great disaster had already passed.

Yang Su-rin let out a deep sigh and then…….

“You were right. I’ll have to replace my secret channels.”

She said.

“No.”

It was not comfort, but sincerity.

Just half a shichen.

That was the difference in time between when Ma Sok of the Rogues’ Guild brought the Rogues’ Guild members to the Dancheon Clan, and when Yang Su-rin brought her subordinates to the Dancheon Clan.

Considering that the Yang Clan was farther away, the gap would be even smaller.

It meant that a mere merchant house had built an information network comparable to the Rogues’ Guild.

“Thank you.”

It seemed that the seed named Yang Su-rin was also growing well.

Only then did Yang Su-rin smile.

I felt as if the worries that had settled in my heart were being washed away a little.

I was not wrong.

***

Cultivating the Self, Ordering One’s House, Governing the State, and Pacifying the World.

Because I had set my heart on martial arts, my learning was short, so I did not know for sure, but I knew it as a saying from the Great Learning, one of the Four Books of Confucian classics.

To be honest, this too was knowledge I had learned only after mastering the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art. As I said before, I had no affinity for academics.

I did not know why the Healing Sage, who had lived the life of a Daoist, had made a Confucian maxim the core principle of the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

I could only guess that since all paths lead to one at the end of martial arts, it was something similar.

In any case, the important fact was that the phrase held great meaning for me.

The Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art equated the first three stages to Cultivating the Self, the Fourth Stage to Ordering One’s House, and the Fifth Stage to Governing the State.

In other words, I had now reached a realm that could be called Governing the State.

State.

To speak of a nation with an individual's body would be to be called exceedingly arrogant, but considering the supreme realm of the State of Harmony, it could be said to be a sufficiently appropriate metaphor.

But there was something I realized after meeting the Heavenly Demon.

No, it would be right to say it was an uncomfortable truth I had realized long ago, ever since I was with Yeom Gi-ha.

That was the fact that even a State varied greatly.

If the realm I had achieved was a small country that had just formed its framework, it would be right to describe the Heavenly Demon's realm as a great country, no, an empire.

A small country cannot create a great flow in the continental landscape.

It would be swept away by the whims of a great country, and would have no choice but to kneel before an empire.

Even if trampled and plundered, there would be no way to stop it.

Just like me when I faced the Heavenly Demon.

I recalled my mission, which I had momentarily forgotten, or perhaps tried to pass on to the outstanding figure that was the Emperor Breaker, Yeom Gi-ha.

I will become the Murim Alliance Leader.

I will reach the pinnacle of the world.

With that power, I will stop the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

It would be fine not to become the Murim Alliance Leader. The reason was that the great tree known as the Emperor Breaker was firmly supporting that position.

The reason I wanted the position of Murim Alliance Leader was not out of a desire for status or honor, so I had no regrets.

In fact, there was also the reason that I much preferred the position of the next Escort Captain, Uncle Yeo Baek's successor, over the position of Murim Alliance Leader.

But I must reach the pinnacle of the world.

The reason was that I had realized that the current strongest under the heavens was the Heavenly Demon.

Wouldn't it be too unseemly to ask the Emperor Breaker, ‘Please surpass the Heavenly Demon’?

I would have to reach the pinnacle of the world with my own strength and stop the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

That was the right thing to do.

The Healing Sage had said.

That if I had polished my martial arts at the Fifth Stage instead of aiming for the Sixth Stage, I might have become the undisputed strongest of my time.

His words were right.

Having reached the Fifth Stage, I knew that the road ahead was ninety thousand li long.

It meant that there were many things I could do without necessarily reaching the Sixth Stage.

I could refine my intentions and create ultimate techniques.

I could study the principles and establish forms.

Like Yeom Gi-ha, I could establish and advance a divine art with a complete form.

Whatever I chose, I could move forward.

The reason was that the realm of the State of Harmony was like a deep lake, capable of embracing many things.

But…….

Even if I, who am now just a small country, were to polish my martial arts and reach the level of an empire, at best, I would be on equal footing with the Heavenly Demon, who has already achieved an empire.

It meant that no matter how much I polished myself at the Fifth Stage, it would become a contest between an empire and an empire. At best, that is.

As great power collided with great power, a war even greater than the last Great War of Righteousness and Evil might occur.

……That shouldn't happen.

In fact, I had seen the limits of the Fifth Stage.

No.

It would be more correct to say that I had seen the greatness of the Heavenly Demon.

I had simply realized that the Heavenly Demon was a true monster that could not be surpassed with the Fifth Stage.

This was the reason my interest had no choice but to turn to the Sixth Stage of the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

The First Stage, Body Reformation, the Second Stage, Golden Body, and the Third Stage, Impenetrable, are collectively called Cultivating the Self.

The Fourth Stage, Amplification, is called Ordering One’s House.

The Fifth Stage, Union, is called Governing the State.

Then, what did the Healing Sage name the Sixth Stage, which is equivalent to Pacifying the World?

-The Sixth Stage of the Healing Sage's Mind Cultivation Art is called Pacifying the World. It is because there is no other way to call it.

That’s right.

Pacifying the World is in itself Pacifying the World.

The essence of the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

Sixth Stage, Pacifying the World.

I know that the word pacification is another meaning for singularity.

The reason is that the subject of pacification cannot be two or three.

Since it refers to a sole existence, it could be seen as another name for the strongest under the heavens.

The path to surpassing the Heavenly Demon and stopping the Great War of Righteousness and Evil was there.

***

-In retrospect, the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art was not perfect.

The Healing Sage, speaking of the Sixth Stage, began his preface with a denial of what he had built.

It was not self-deprecation or despair.

The reason was that I knew it was a look back to move forward.

Perfection has no room for development.

The Healing Sage confessed that he had only realized the truth that development comes from inadequacy after achieving the Fifth Stage.

-To the disciple who has achieved the Fifth Stage, I ask, what do you think the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art is?

The Healing Sage’s message was like a Q&A to me.

Since my body had already memorized the entire Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, I already knew the content that would follow.

Nevertheless, the Healing Sage’s message was a conversation and a Q&A for me.

The reason was that the Healing Sage’s questions came to me with a different meaning each time I pondered them.

It was because if the place where you stand changes, the scenery you see also changes.

What is the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art?

To me, who was just starting, the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art was a divine art.

A powerful martial art that could cause earth-shattering changes and cut down the Demonic Cult members in a single blow.

To me, who had achieved Cultivating the Self, the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art was potential.

It was the potential to reach the pinnacle of the world, and the potential to become anything.

It was also another name for the brilliant future that would stop the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

To me, who had achieved Ordering One’s House, the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art was fulfillment.

For the first time, I could see not the outside, but myself completely.

I could look straight at the things surrounding me.

I could accept my elder brother Dancheon Hak and my mother Baek Yeo-hae in a different way than before.

Fulfillment. That is, thanks to the resolution of deficiency.

To me, who has achieved Governing the State, the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art is…….

-This humble Daoist believes that the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art is nature.

It was nature.

Perhaps I had finally come to see the world from the same perspective as the Healing Sage.

Nature referred to a great existence, and at the same time, it referred to things as they were.

-I wanted to resemble nature. Nature is the only god that truly exists in the human world, so to be born with a human body and ascend to godhood, this humble Daoist thought he must embrace nature.

It could also be seen as an intuitive method. By taking the peerless spiritual medicines, which could be called the essence of nature, one comes to resemble nature.

In retrospect, the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art resembled nature.

In that it laid the foundation, protected itself, expanded, and became one.

That was why the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art could be great.

It was because resembling something great was the way to become great.

-But at its end, this humble Daoist saw a limit.

At the same time, that point was its limit.

The fact that it was not the same, but resembled it.

He said that this was the reason why the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, which was originally designed with five stages, had pioneered the path to the Sixth Stage.

-One cannot deny that nature is great. But what is important is that nature always exists. It's not a precise expression, but it wouldn't be too wrong to call it immortal. Since a human, born with the fate of mortality, tried to resemble nature, it was inevitable that he could not reach its end.

The Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art was complete because it resembled nature.

But at the same time, it could not become complete because it could not become nature.

It was merely, a resemblance.

-Humans cannot be constant. Nor can they be immortal. In other words, it's the same as saying they are not perfect. That may be why the Healing Sage's Mind Cultivation Art was not perfect, but this humble Daoist found the beginning of perfection there.

The Healing Sage was not one to despair. Because he was a true Grandmaster.

Grandmasters are people who seek learning even from failure.

Just like the Emperor Breaker, who found a path forward after being defeated by the Heavenly Demon.

-I'm not sure how it is in the disciple's era, but in the time this humble Daoist lives, there are a few great beings who can stand against nature. In retrospect, it was a point I could have realized long ago. Because even before this humble Daoist was born, there were masters like the Sword Immortal Dongbin, Bodhidharma, and Sambong who stood shoulder to shoulder with nature without bowing to it.

The Healing Sage, who could not become nature, had come to see the great potential of humans.

-Now that I have achieved the Fifth Stage, I cannot turn everything back to nothingness. Because I know that just because I have seen a limit, starting over from nothing does not mean I can stand shoulder to shoulder with the other masters who have built a hymn to humanity. But after long contemplation, this humble Daoist found a way.

‘Long contemplation.’

I could guess the pain contained in those years, replaced by a single word.

I could guess the joy of finally finding a signpost after wandering through a vast, boundless sea.

The Healing Sage left his discovery as a message for his successors.

I recalled the benevolent image of the Healing Sage I saw in my dream.

He was indeed my benefactor, my master, and a Grandmaster.

-The spiritual medicines of nature resemble nature. As they come from nature, it is the natural order for them to resemble nature. That is why the pills and elixirs created by humans, although their foundation is in nature, come to resemble humans. As they come into being only after passing through human hands, it is the natural order for them to resemble humans. Humans were such great beings.

I knew the joy of the Healing Sage that was contained in those words.

-If the peerless natural spiritual medicines are what is needed to embrace nature. Then what is needed to walk the path of man fully is the supreme pills and elixirs. Disciple. If you add the great power of man to the mind cultivation art that has become infinitely like nature upon reaching the Fifth Stage, you will be able to move beyond Wuji and onto a new path. But it will not be an easy path. Because it is rare to find an artifact that can be compared to the greatness of nature even after passing through human hands. Disciple. Do you know of the Five Great Elixirs of Murim? Those great names are by no means lacking even when compared to nature. There lies the path to the Sixth Stage of the Healing Sage's Mind Cultivation Art. Embracing nature in one's arms, and standing tall with the power of man. Finally, there lies Pacifying the World, and godhood.

The Healing Sage, breaking away from the written words, was shouting so directly.

He was exulting in the new path.

He was passing all of that on to his successor for free. Simply because I was his successor.

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