It is not about learning new Kung-Fu, but training old, previously known, or widely known Kung-Fu that no one has understood the theories of, with a fresh mind—that is the true sign of one who possesses an original Ni Hwang Palace.

-Friedrich Nietzsche-

“What an unusual taste. Using outdated Kung-Fu that haven’t even been properly verified.”

Despite knowing the name Ulster Classic, Alfred Nobel’s attitude toward it was quite skeptical.

“Surprising, that Sir Dynamite would make such a disparaging remark. I thought you would have at least heard that a respected Kung-Fu scholar recently published a thesis dealing with Ulster Classic.”

“Hmph. I don’t care who researches Kung-Fu that don’t work in real combat. If you want to preserve tradition, take money from Ireland.”

“Traditional culture, huh? It seems Ulster’s Kung-Fu seems nothing more than that to you.”

Well, that makes sense.

In the martial world, the only thing known about the Ulster Kung-Fu lineage was that a related thesis was published in Germany.

“It’s not a Kung-Fu to be dismissed just because it’s old.”

Ulster.

One of the four regions that make up Ireland, the western island of the British Isles, a land where ancient traditions breathe life.

Before the Vikings and English armies invaded here.

Before Catholic missionaries erased old beliefs and built churches.

There, the Kung-Fu of the Celtic people flourished.

People do not know.

Before the Kung-Fu scholar published the thesis, a traditional Kung-Fu revival movement had already begun in Ulster by Irish independence activists.

Moreover, my master had thoroughly searched Ulster and succeeded in restoring a significant portion of Ulster’s traditional Kung-Fu by obtaining old secret techniques and manuscripts.

Of course, there’s no need to babble about these facts.

Though we only exchanged a few words and I observed his moves, I roughly understood what kind of martial artist Alfred Nobel was.

Alfred Nobel is a martial artist who has trained and gained combat experience focusing solely on the speed and power of Kung-Fu to subdue enemies.

Discussing “learning from the past to innovate” with this type is useless.

The only way is to show it directly in combat.

“Your tongue is longer than your sword. You still have a long way to go before discussing Kung-Fu. I’ll listen to your nonsense after your sword touches my neck.”

It seemed Alfred Nobel was confident.

That my sword tip would never touch him.

But his mindset was on a different level from the Phantom Fist I had faced before.

The Phantom Fist’s confidence was baseless, but Nobel’s confidence lacked complacency.

The strategy such martial artists choose in duels or life-and-death battles is usually as follows.

A tedious and one-sided fight where, based on thorough preparation and objective analysis, they judge the difference in level between themselves and the opponent and make only the most efficient moves to secure victory.

A strongman’s power game that blocks all strange tactics the opponent tries and reliably produces the predetermined result.

Complacency, curiosity, fleeting compassion, etc.

Their specialty strategy is to overwhelm the opponent’s weaknesses with their strengths under rational judgment without giving any room for emotions that interfere with the match.

“Is it true that he has never lost a fight against countless European Murim strongmen?”

I had heard the rumors before.

The rumor that Alfred Nobel traveled the world in disguise, training in Kung-Fu.

At first, I dismissed it as baseless nonsense, but the power of the German Kung-Fu I just observed through Indra Net was not something a reckless rich man could wield.

For a moment, someone familiar overlapped with Nobel’s image.

Was my master like that during the duel journey after Brexit?

“No. He’s different.”

The path my master walked was a trail crossing the Kung-Fu forest1 and the rivers and lakes2.

Meanwhile, Nobel’s gaze and momentum revealed how harsh his path had been.

Only those who have stepped into the muddy battlefield dozens or hundreds of times.

Only those who have rolled through the hellish depths testing limits regardless of strong or weak.

Only those who have stood in the gray zone where life and death intersect and all beautiful teachings and morals lose their shine.

Neither the Nine Palaces, Eight Gates, Seven Stars, Six Harmonies, Five Elements, Four Symbols, Three Talents, nor the Great Ultimate3 could be seen,

Only those who have walked through the dark chaos, where there exists neither the path to tread nor the principle to follow.

Can draw out.

The most primal consciousness a person has.

A life not chosen but a deep-rooted desire that constantly pushes forward.

The powerful original sin existing at humanity’s core, struggling to resist death.

The sinful essential power lurking inside everyone that tries to survive even by taking others’ lives.

“Burst Stream.”

The white energy resembling a pale blue eyes white snake engulfed everything in the direction Nobel thrust his fist.

With a deafening roar, another directional explosion struck, but I couldn’t stop thinking.

-One Grain Sees the World

-One Flower Peeks into Heaven

-The Palm Holds Infinity

-The Moment Embraces Eternity

I unfolded the Faust Moment of single-mindedness and stepped into the realm of calm and slow time.

Soon, through the opened minor meridians, an incomparable amount of information flowed in, heating up the brain.

Though I’ve never experienced it myself, it is said that cultivating internal energy in the upper Elixir Field in addition to the lower Elixir Field imbues the internal strength and Kung-Fu of clan masters with consciousness and spirituality, granting them mysterious powers.

It is said that the Upper Essence Field is called so because it corresponds to the part of the human brain where the most essential functions are concentrated.

Even outside monastic clans, similar examples can be found.

Martial artists who reach the realm of emitting Signature Sound imprint a unique wave called Watermark, shaped by their consciousness, behind the eyelids of those who perceive it.

This phenomenon, where consciousness within energy affects the visual center in the occipital lobe, was revealed through experiments by German Kung-Fu physiologist, Hermann Munk.

Therefore, although many still mock this, the hypothesis that consciousness and soul significantly influence a martial artist’s internal strength and Kung-Fu has some basis in my opinion.

Then, by the same theory, what about Nobel’s Distinct German Kung-Fu, Explosive Gale Technique, which uses internal energy drawn from the middle Elixir Field, closer to the upper than the lower, for example, from the heart?

In fact, finding the answer to that question can wait until after I take care of my body.

“Scuabtuinne4.”

The energy sent below my knees burst forth like a spring from the Weizhong and Weiyang acupoints.

The moment I turned my toes sideways and balanced my center, an acceleration that seemed to transcend the law of mass struck me.

-Boom!

The explosion, exquisitely controlled by the minor meridian’s power, pushed my body out of the area of Nobel’s fist wave unleashed by the Burst Stream.

-Whoosh!

I felt the vacuum left by the explosion pulling my shoulder, but I used the mystic principles of the 1322.77-pound weight to maintain my balance without faltering.

“…!”

In the still slow-flowing time, I saw Nobel’s pupils dilate as he stood at a fixed distance.

It was an understandable reaction.

The achievement of the light body technique varies by individual, but the movement I just showed was undoubtedly beyond the pinnacle realm.

However.

“Judging by its extreme consumption of essence, even with improvements, the chronic problems of the old method remain unsolved.”

Everything in the world comes at a cost.

Ulster Classic is an ancient Kung-Fu used by Celtic warriors who prioritized destructive power and disregarded the amount of internal energy consumed to kill enemies on the battlefield.

No matter how much I train, as a Kung-Fu gentleman living under the peaceful reign of Her Majesty Victoria, it is absurd for me to wield their power without any restrictions.

Even the representative footwork of the Ulster Kung-Fu I just used, Scuabtuinne, placed considerable strain on my acupoints and muscles.

The reason the ancient Irish were strong was probably because they had to endure such madness daily to survive.

Seeing the immense internal energy consumption and the difficulty of performing the Kung-Fu, I understood why the Celts praised heroic feats.

“You move well. But how long can you keep dodging?”

As expected, Nobel seemed to have grasped the weaknesses of the Ulster Classic.

“Well, I’ll try as long as I can.”

I forced a smile and replied, but I was indeed pressed.

The Ulster Classic, despite its simple mass mechanism, is a Kung-Fu which is difficult to learn and use.

If one lacks even a little ability to control essence, they waste massive internal energy and cannot continue fighting.

If the circulation process is not delicately controlled, the essence explosion harms one’s own body.

Even if a practitioner overcomes these obstacles, the worst challenge awaits at the end.

That is, when using Ulster Classic, the clothes worn cannot withstand the explosion and tear.

This was why Celtic warriors painted their entire bodies blue.

Fortunately, I am wearing Henry Pool’s martial uniform.

This outfit freely channels essence without loss like part of the body, so it doesn’t tear even when unleashing the old method’s explosive technique.

It feels as if a new extraordinary acupoint has formed outside the body, connected to the Elixir Field.

“…?!”

The talisman of the Zion Clan that requires moving internal energy along a set path to release power.

Clothes that build extraordinary acupoints and allow internal energy cultivation like meridians inside the body.

“With this method, I can counter Alfred Nobel’s explosive attack—”

Two clues connected in my mind, bringing a new realization.

“If I keep dodging, I’ll be the one to tire first. Let’s bring this to an end.”

I firmly gripped the Ni Hwang Palace and adjusted my sword grip.

“Show me your hidden trump card, Little Heavenly Demon! Whatever you try, I’ll break it!”

“No need to go that far.”

Before finishing my words, an explosion flew straight at me.

“Then let’s see…”

I lowered my sword and smiled comfortably.

1. TL/N: Murim ️

2. TL/N: Gangho - martial world ️

3. TL/N: Taiji ️

4. TL/N: 鎭波微步 - translates to Light Wave Footwork, and is a movement/lightness technique ️