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Martial arts dominate the Gosu (The Master) world with many gosu (고수, gosu), of all levels of power, using different styles. While outer ki and inner ki both exist, inner ki is a major part of a martial artist's strength. It has been noted that in the hands of a gosu with great inner ki, even a dead leaf can become a weapon that can pierce iron plates.[1] Despite this, outer ki fist arts can also be quite formidable.

The bodies of martial artists (and regular humans) have various important points on the body that determine ki output as well as one's mortality. There are twelve ki veins and eight erratic ki passages which are joined by the regular flow of one's ki.[2] As well as that, a person has nine fatal points.[2] If these fatal points are disrupted and a person continues using their martial arts, these fatal points will burst causing a ki overload and ultimately death.[3] Martial artists also have eight extra meridians on their body that, if opened correctly, boost the gosu's inner ki levels.[4]

Known Martial Arts[]

Black Lancer Techniques[]

User(s): Heukweol, Yongbi

The Black Lancer Techniques, officially known as the Black Lancers Seven Chained Moves (흑색창 연환칠식 (黑色槍 連環七式) , Hogsaegchang Yeonhwanchilsig), are a set of spear techniques used by members of the legendary Black Lancers cavalry. They were created by Yongbi from the Grand General's Lu Family's Spear Style but unlike its parent style, the Black Lancer Techniques are designed to be solely offensive.[5] It is also possible to use these spear techniques with a sword but at a reduced effectiveness.[6]

Black Lancer Techniques in Yongbi the Invincible and the Side Story.
User(s): Heukweol, Jeok Seong, Yongbi

Black Wind Palm[]

User(s): Jin Garyeong

Black Wind Palm (흑풍장 (黑風掌) , Heugpungjang) is a mostly unknown martial art used by Jin Garyeong the White Jade Martial Empress, and it only has one known technique.[7]


Blood Dance Killing Formation[]

User(s): Pung Baek, Ze Wungang

Blood Dance Killing Formation (혈무살진 (血舞煞陣) , Hyeolmusaljin) is an incredibly powerful spear-based martial art created by Pung Baek, the Bloody Godly Spear almost 200 years before the current time; it was inherited and utilized by Ze Wungang, the Sky Valorian Star in the current time period.[8]


Demonic Techniques[]

User(s): Hyeol Bi, Infinite Divine Archdemon, Okcheonbi

The Demonic Techniques (마공 (魔功) , Magong) were an incredibly diverse and powerful set of martial art techniques used by the members of the Asura Blood Sect. There are many variations of the Demonic Techniques and the Grand Prelate Okcheonbi was known for using the Incorporeal Demonic Techniques which are capable of producing ki that is as destructive as a real weapon,[9] and the powerful Dark Blood Demonic Techniques. In addition to their terrifying techniques, the Demonic Techniques are especially dangerous because they involve the use of poison that cause rapid decay and distort the victim meridians,[10] and any wounds inflicted by the techniques caused the victim to feel extreme pain.[11]

In the present timeline, the Martial Eminence Hyeol Bi was able to use the Demonic Techniques after undergoing Demonic Resurrection.[12]

Demonic Techniques in Yongbi the Invincible.
User(s): Asura Blood Sect Members, Cruel Moon Archdemon, Jincheon, Mad Blood Archdemon, Myochu

Diamond Body[]

User(s): Dang Gwe

A martial artist from Hadong claimed he had reached a level of "Diamond Body" (금강불괴 (金剛不壞) , Geumgangbulgoe).[13] Although it ended up turning out that the martial artist lied, Gang Ryong stated that those who truly reached the "Diamond Body" level could pick themselves out of a mountain of rubble after taking the Evil Negating Palmstrike, given a few hours to recover.


Divine Heavenly Destruction Techniques[]

User(s): Dokgo Ryong, Four Heavenly Kings, Gang Ryong, Okcheonbi

The Twelve Divine Heavenly Destruction Techniques (파천십이신공 (破天十二神攻) , Pacheonsib-ishingong) are a set of a martial arts techniques that constitute a style developed by Dokgo Ryong, the Heavenly Destroyer. According to Gang Ryong, no-one can take a Divine Heavenly Destruction Technique head on and live; however, Sa Paecheon, even whilst nursing internal injuries, took half of them from the Heavenly Destroyer himself and survived.[14] It is revealed that Dokgo Ryong created the Divine Heavenly Destruction Techniques by combining the Dokgo family's martial arts with the bizarre martial arts of Nanman.[15]

The Divine Heavenly Destruction Techniques can be chained:


Divine Jangbaek Arts[]

User(s): Gwak Yeom

The Divine Jangbaek Arts (장백신공 (长白神功) , Jangbaegshingong) was a martial arts style utilized by the Gwak Yeom, the Jangbaek Sage.


Doh Family Spear Style[]

User(s): Doh Gwang, Doh Gyeol, Doh Gyeom

The Doh Family Spear Style (도가창법 (陶家槍法) , "Dohgahchangbeob") is a renowned style of spearmanship used by members of the Doh Family of the Pungjin Sect. The Iron Lion is a master of said techniques.


Flying Flash Sword[]

User(s): Soh Cheongwon, Soh Jinhong
Flying Flash Sword movements

The Soseondang's Flying Flash Sword (소선당의 선광비검 (蘇仙堂的 眩光秘劍) , Soseondang-ui Seongwangbigeom) is a powerful style of swordsmanship that was passed down the Soseondang Clan. The Soseondang Clan existed near the Yunnan Castle and over generations they pursued the "ultimate understanding" of the sword rather than fame or honor.[16] As a result, masters of the style are able to move at nigh untraceable speeds and slice through sturdy walls, boulders and trees as easy as a knife through butter. The swordsmanship of Soh Cheongwon the One Sword, the late 5th Clan Master of the Soseondang, was so swift and sublime that even renowned martial artists could barely follow his movements with their eyes.[16] It is later revealed that this style is a copy of the martial art Jin Yurim used.[17]

The current successor of the Flying Flash Sword style is Soh Jinhong, the Rosy-Cheeked Sword Fiend, a person who does not actually share any blood with the previous successor, Soh Cheongwon.[18]


Invisible Demonic Beast Fist[]

User(s): Jang Woon

The Invisible Demonic Beast Fist (은형수마권, Eunhyeongsumagwon) is a powerful martial art used by Jang Woon.[19]


Iron Shattering Fist[]

User(s): Dang Gan

Iron Shattering Fist (철쇄권 (鐵碎拳) , Cheolswaegwon) is a martial art utilized by Dang Gan. Though not much is currently known about it, the style seems to involve powerful strikes.


Life Drain Technique[]

Palgongjin Yangso

The man who completed the Life Drain Technique, Palgongjin Yangso

User(s): Gha Woobok, Palgongjin Yangso

The Life Drain Technique (흡성대법 (吸星大法) , Heubseongdaebeob) is a bizarre and remarkably unique martial arts style that involves the draining and assimilation of ki and life energy from targets. It is a truly enigmatic art that, once mastered, enables its user to harmonize with the ki of natural elements (such as plants and rocks) and use their power as one pleases; retracing the martial art's origins, the Life Drain Technique is more like a Sage Art or Taoist Art than a martial art.[20] The art requires a special physical constitution to be able to be learned and, in the days of the old murim, was taught under great secrecy.[21] Apparently, the original purpose of the Life Drain Technique was to absorb the ki of others in order to attain immortality.[22] It appears that there is some truth to that statement as the Life Drain Technique was somehow able to activate after Woobok's death and buried his body underground before wrapping tree roots around him to give him its life energy. Gang Ryong was then able to revive him through other means such as the Dan.[23]

There is also a special technique of the Life Drain Technique where the user can gain power through a spirit-eating tree. It involves accumulating ki by feeding a vampiric tree their own flesh and blood to grow it into a spirit-eating tree. Hwan Sa was able to obtain this technique somehow and taught it to Okcheonbi. That very technique was also stolen by Go Hyeop at one point.[24]

Palgongjin Yangso (팔공진인 (八公眞人) 양소, Palgongjin-in Yangso) was a man who completed the Life Drain Technique. At some point during his life, he passed on the martial art style to Gha Woobok.[22]


Poison Hands Divine Technique[]

Na Jongmyeong

Na Jongmyeong's spirit

User(s): Hwan Sa, Na Jongmyeong

The Poison Hands Divine Technique (독수신공, Dogsusingong) is an incredibly deadly martial arts used by Na Jongmyeong, the Dark Deva of Poison Hands (독수신마 나종명, Dogsusinma Najongmyeong). Na Jongmyeong was a fearsome gosu of such caliber that he was said to have ruled the Murim 200 years prior to the current time. Hwan Sa was able to inherit this technique using the Grand Soul Possession Technique.[25]


Seven Step Black Wind Fist[]

User(s): Goo Hwi

The Seven Step Black Wind Fist (칠보흑풍권 (七步黑風拳) , Chilboheugpung-gwon) is an incredibly powerful martial art used exclusively by Goo Hwi, the Heaven Ravager King and it was once considered legendary in the Northern Murim.[26]

Seven Step Black Wind Fist Techniques in Yongbi the Invincible and the Side Story.
User(s): Goo Hwi

Welkin Lightning[]

User(s): Sa Paecheon, Nameless

The Welkin Lightning (천뢰 (天雷) , Cheonloe) techniques are a series of martial arts techniques utilized by Sa Paecheon, the Devil of the Venom Hands. The strength of these techniques is enough that they can clash evenly with the Divine Heavenly Destruction Techniques used by both the Heavenly Destroyer and his disciple.


Unclassified Martial Arts techniques[]

These are martial arts techniques that are not specifically linked to any particular martial arts style.

Other Abilities[]

Deadly Barrier: Palace of Conception[]

User(s): Hwan Sa

The Deadly Barrier: Palace of Conception (살진 포태궁 (殺陳 胞胎宮) , Saljin Potaegung; lit. Killing Display/Exhibition Womb Foetus Palace) is a powerful soul summoning technique, similar to the Grand Soul Possession Technique, that creates a powerful illusory space to trap and kill a target. If the target succumbs to the illusions and reacts to them in any way, the illusions then become real to the target. Then, unless they defeat the psychosomatic illusions, they will be killed by them.[27] Despite the technique's fearsome capabilities, it can be broken out of with enough skill.

Grand Soul Possession Technique[]

User(s): Hwan Sa

The Grand Soul Possession Technique (환혼귀진대법, Hwanhongwijindaebeob) is a forbidden technique that summons the spirits of archfiends who died without finding a successor (to pass their martial art on to) and allows the spirit to possess living novices who will then inherit their martial art.[28] While possessed, the novices must endure body-breaking training that eventually leads to their Ultimate Metamorphosis. Once their training is complete and the possessed novices have fully inherited the possessor's martial art, the spirit departs their body.[28]

However, this forbidden technique comes with extreme drawbacks. For the process to be successful, novices need both a complete understanding of the martial art they are inheriting (as well as being compatible with the martial art itself) and a tremendous amount of ki. In addition, the novices need incredible mental and physical fortitude in order to overcome the extreme pain caused by undergoing Ultimate Metamorphosis during possession. Due to this, despite the strict selection criteria and the many years of training that follow, the number of people that survive this accursed technique are close to zero. However, it is said that those who successfully inherit their possessor's martial art attain a martial arts prowess powerful enough to rule their era.[28]

Survivors of the Grand Soul Possession Technique include the six Sky Stars of the Seven Slayers of the Sky Gorge.[28]

Five Elements Death Ward[]

User(s): Heuk Lan

The Five Elements Death Ward (오행사망진, Ohaengsamangjin) is a secret technique of Heuk Lan's clan that creates a ward to trap the user's target inside and kill them. The user must first set up multiple small stone altars and once the target enters its vicinity, they get trapped in an illusory space leaving them at the mercy of the user. In addition, it is said that those trapped can't make it out alive unless the user allows them to and how Heuk Lan disposed of her opponents were by placing them at a bottom of a fissure in the illusory space and creating a tsunami to consume them. Outside the ward, the ward can be seen as a massive whirlpool of fog.[29]

Illusion Casting[]

User(s): Yang Jeonghak, Song Yerin, Old Man, Hwan Sa

Certain people have the power to cast sensory illusions, ranging from simple ocular illusions (such as changing one's appearance) to overwhelming somatosensory ones (such as making someone believe they have lost a limb). Illusionists try to unsettle their opponents in various ways; the moment their opponent becomes rattled and lets their emotions get the better of them, the illusionist has already won.[30] People who are single-mindedly driven easily succumb to even basic illusion techniques.[31]

According to Yang Jeonghak, the best way to break free from an illusion technique is to not get caught in an illusion technique to begin with by avoiding the gaze of the illusionist and keeping one's composure.[30] However, in the case that a person does succumb to an illusion, the quickest and simplest way to break free is through pain. However, because there is a fine distinction between imaginary pain and real physical pain, seizing the opportunity to break out of the illusion by noticing and using real physical pain comes down to the victim's willpower.[30] Another method of breaking out of an illusion technique is to release a relatively powerful burst of one's inner ki at once, though the person needs to be reasonably more powerful than the illusionist for this to work.[32]

Illusion Techniques[]

  • Illusion Technique, Divided Soul: Arcane Relay (환술 분혼마전, Hwansul Bunhonmajeon) is a special technique used by Hwan Sa to implant false memories in his target. The technique does not alter the memories of the user's victim but fill in the gaps, making it most effective when used on someone who has corrupted and conflicting memories. By implanting these false memories, the user can essentially manipulate their victim into doing their bidding. It also appears that this technique can be set to activate upon a certain trigger; Hwan Sa set this technique to trigger on Gang Ryong upon activation of the Dan implanted in the latter.[33]

Poison Arts[]

There are many deadly toxins that are used in the branch of martial arts known as the Poison Arts:

  • Demonic Blight (마호선 (麻糊散) , Mahoseon): A horrifying poison used by Sa Paecheon. Its effects include the slow degeneration of muscles and tissues.[34]
  • Gu ( () , Go): A unique class of toxic worms that are implanted into a victim, enabling their user to control the victim's body against their will. Mak Sapyeong was a user.
  • Sage's Demise (신선폐 (神仙廢) , Shinseonpye): A poison that the old man's most recent puppet coated his sword with. While its effects are largely unknown, if one does not begin restoring their ki immediately after being afflicted, their chance of surviving drops drastically; using more ki while afflicted will almost certainly cause death.[30]

Sage Techniques[]

User(s): Goo Hwi, Hong Ye-Mong, Ilgak, Yongbi

The members of the Sage Forest are said to have mastered powerful Sage Techniques (도술 (仙道術) , Seondosul) since Ilgak forced them to learn the Sagely Arts. It is described as a way for someone to meditate and train themselves and once their eyes are open to the way, it can perform many functions. Known effects of these techniques include:

  • Preventing others such as Hwan Sa from using his Trigram to predict their movements.[35]
  • Allowing the user to see faintly in pitch-black darkness.[36]
  • Giving the user the ability to see spiritual ki, which is exuded by wielders of the Dan.[37]
  • See beyond barriers.[38]

Key Terms[]

Gosuverse Key Terms
Term Hangul Romaja Description
Gosu 고수 (高手) gosu The term itself refers to someone who is highly skilled in a particular field. In the context of Gosu (The Master), it refers to a martial arts master.
Murim 무림 (武林) murim Refers to the martial arts world and the community within which the story takes place. The term Gangho (강호 (江湖), gang-ho) also refers to the martial arts world and community.
Sphere of Resonance 공진 (共振) gongjin A sphere of resonance is a powerful barrier made of ki and is an enclosing space that best suits its creator's style of fighting.[39] The space of ki inside the resonance also pulls in the opponent and once pulled in properly, they cannot even stand due to the enormous amount of pressure that pushes down upon them, thus limiting their movement.[24]
Tae-eum Metastatic Bone Body 태음환골지체 (太陰換骨之體) taeeum hwangoljiche It is a rare physiological condition that causes the flow of ki that connects various ki points in the body to be reversed in comparison to regular people. As such, those with the condition have bodies that are not suited to performing martial arts techniques that utilise inner ki manipulation; those that persistently use inner ki techniques will cause their ki to flow in reverse, which causes the ki backflow to become entangled thus resulting in severe internal damage.[2]
Ultimate Metamorphosis 환골탈태
(換骨奪胎)
hwangol taltae It is a process that high-level gosu who possess enormous ki levels and have attained enlightenment may undergo. It refers to a transformation that completely restructures their body, as well as their core, expunging all bodily impurities and turning the body into a perfect medium for ki manipulation. This results in a perfect martial artist with a flawless appearance.

Notes & Trivia[]

  • Gosu are said to have stepping and running techniques, so much so that they don't even leave footprints when they walk on snow.[40]
  • LINE's translation of Diamond Body, "Vajra Body" refers to Vajra, a Sanskrit word that means both diamond and thunderbolt.
  • In the Deadly Barrier: Palace of Conception technique, "胎宮" is a Buddhist term, meaning a "foetal palace"; it refers to a place where non-believers and disbelievers are in a dark void-like mothering womb (much like a foetus), though they are still in a palace.
  • A protective ward can be a natural formation or artificially created by a martial artist.[41]
  • Whether the Five Elements Death Ward is related to the Five Elements Ward that was said to have protected the Golden Castle is yet unknown.

References[]

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