Chapter 465
“It’s been nearly three months since the Sword Demon forgot to eat and sleep during training, huh?”
His face wasn’t exactly well-groomed, and his beard had grown long. But on the flip side, his eyes sparkled with energy, clearly indicating he had been diligently practicing martial arts.
The Sword Demon stepped out from the closed training space and addressed me,
“Baek Woong, what’s up?”
“I’ve made some guesses about the identity of the person who took down your daughter.”
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“Oh?”
“He’s a master of the Wind Spirit Sect’s Secret Sword Technique, the Wind Demon Sword technique. The only person who could be that skilled would be…”
He cut in confidently,
“Yong Junil, right?”
“Uh… Yes!”
I was slightly taken aback that he already knew. The Sword Demon chuckled lightly.
“I’ve heard about your daughter and even inherited your memories through the obsidian, so it clicked a while ago.”
“I see…”
“The only two who could master the Wind Demon Sword Technique to that extent are Dharma Guardian Yong Bi-cheon and his son, Yong Junil. But Yong Junil as the leader of the Huashan Sect would most likely make the sword technique his strong suit. So, Yong Junil is indeed the one who took down my daughter.”
“That’s right.”
I felt a bit awkward, like I had stumbled onto a monumental discovery that he was already aware of. He burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha, it’s not a bad thing. This realization is actually a big motivator for my training.”
“So now the target for revenge is the Wind Spirit Sect?”
“Precisely.”
His gaze sharpened.
“Even if I know, I currently don’t have the strength to take down the Wind Spirit Sect. So I need to refine myself using the power of the Seven Great Techniques I inherited from you and build up enough strength to take them on. That’s why I’ve been glued to training day and night for nearly three months.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“I know. I’m well aware of the true power of the White Lotus Sect, so I’m considering a long-term battle.”
After saying that, the Sword Demon continued,
“While I’m at it, let’s check your progress before getting into the main topic. I actually have some information to share.”
“Okay, understood.”
We eventually faced each other at the sparring arena, swords drawn.
The Sword Demon stared blankly at me, wielding the Fire Spirit Sword and the Fire Dragon Sword, then said,
“Speaking of which, didn’t you say it would take thirty-seven days for the Fire Dragon Incarnate to awaken? Has that time passed?”
I awkwardly replied,
“I’ve been continuously unleashing the powers of the Fire Dragon Sword, but the Fire Dragon Incarnate hasn’t awakened yet. Purely speaking, it’s way past thirty-seven days…”
“Hmm, that’s strange.”
“For now, I plan to keep it out.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Alright, here I go!”
With a swish, the Sword Demon unleashed the Invincible Sword, attacking me. Thanks to unleashing the Fire Spirit Sword, I felt charged with power, making the Invincible Sword appear almost sluggish.
I easily dodged the strike and countered back at the Sword Demon.
In that instant, the Sword Demon executed a technique.
“Ninety-Nine Rational Returns!”
Clang!
As our swords collided, both of us were sent flying backward. Recovering my stance, I was a bit flustered.
“No way…”
On the surface, it seemed evenly matched, but I couldn’t accept the outcome. With the Fire Spirit released and my substantial internal power combined, I should’ve been causing catastrophic damage with a single strike. Yet, the Sword Demon wielded the Ninety-Nine Rational Returns from the Eight Great Possibilities and met me equally.
He grinned slyly.
“Baek Woong, I’ve become more than twice as strong as before. You won’t defeat me just by brute force!”
“How did you do it?”
“Ninety-Nine Rational Returns is a technique crafted by Lee Cheong-un, taking into account the dualities of Daoist control—soft against hard, hard against soft. Drawing from essential points of Tai Chi Yau Ji Willow Sword, Cave-Collapsing Sword, and True Martial Seven Cuts Classic, it can neutralize all powers. But it’s also quite maneuver-dependent, making it indeed the most responsive martial art.”
“……!!”
“Now, shall we continue?”
With a thud, I traded blows with the Sword Demon for a hundred seconds before taking a breather. I recognized what he said—that I couldn’t just overpower him with the power of the Seven Luminaries and my aura. Despite three months of relentless practice, he had indeed become over twice as strong.
“Impressive. How did you get so strong in such a short time?”
The Sword Demon wiped the sweat from his brow and replied,
“It’s because of my martial arts. You essentially handed me the results of a hundred years of effort from the absolute geniuses.”
“Hahaha…”
“And Lee Cheong-un is indeed a genius. I never expected he’d derive so many techniques from the flexibility of the Seven Great Techniques… Truly worthy of the title of Grand Master.”
After a moment of admiration, the Sword Demon looked towards the sky.
“However, even more impressive is Jang Sam-bong.”
“Huh?”
“Sure, Lee Cheong-un derived many techniques, but all of them just tapped into the original potential of the Seven Great Techniques. Even the derivatives abide by the ultimate secrets of martial arts. Everything harmoniously connects; this is truly divine design… I wonder about the power of the unmatched technique, Peerless Technique, created by Jang Sam-bong.”
“……”
Continuing to explain, the Sword Demon said,
“Baek Woong, I’ve searched high and low during these three months for masters of Twin Sword Technique, and I found five in total. I summoned them using Shadowless Gate, and they should arrive by the tenth day. Would you like to learn the basics of Twin Sword Technique from them?”
Ah, that’s what he wanted to say. I nodded immediately.
“Yes, I will.”
“And until then, I’ll teach you the Seven Great Techniques in a way that’s easier to understand.”
“Thank you.”
The Sword Demon, though having trained the same span of time as I did, seemed to have achieved tenfold results. He had apparently mastered a significant portion of the techniques from the Eight Great Possibilities to a level ready for real combat, enabling him to provide me with great guidance while I was still at the introductory phase.
During our training, I had occasional conversations with Seo Mun-hye. It seemed like the Sword Demon was quite eager for us to chat. I asked her,
“Seo Mun-hye, why has your hair turned white?”
She stood beside me under the moonlight, stroking her hair and replied,
“I don’t know either. It just happened while learning from the techniques of the Shadowless Gate.”
“… Can I check your pulse?”
“Of course.”
I examined Seo Mun-hye carefully, but even with my medical skills that rivaled Hua Tuo’s, I couldn’t find any particular ailment or strange disease. She adjusted her clothes and stood up, saying,
“All the physicians I’ve seen have said there’s no special pulse or constitution related to it.”
“I think so too.”
“There’s no immediate inconvenience, so I’ll just leave it for now,” she trailed off.
It seemed her white hair was a source of significant concern. Despite being somewhat free-spirited as a woman of the Jianghu, feeling different could pose a considerable obstacle. My heart went out to her, so I took her hand and assured her,
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely find out the cause and let you know. If it can be fixed, I’ll fix it.”
“Thank you, young hero…”
Seo Mun-hye wiped away a small tear and cautiously asked,
“Do you have someone you like?”
“Yes.”
“Who is it…?”
Who could it be?
‘… or should I say what kind of fox is she?’
As I thought of Miho, a complex feeling enveloped me, causing me to smile bittersweetly. Even now, my heart was bound to her, but there were so many tasks at hand, and I didn’t want to lead her to death, so I kept my distance. Up until now, I had thought I could solve everything in one lifetime, but that’s no longer possible.
When could I live happily with Miho?
I unconsciously murmured,
“… I want to joyfully grow old with her when everything’s over.”
Miho would surely accept my ugly looks and clumsiness. Even if she didn’t, I couldn’t think of anyone else but her. As I replied softly, Seo Mun-hye was taken aback and said,
“You really do care for her…”
“……”
“It’s getting late. Sleep well…”
Not quite understanding what her question was aimed at, I tilted my head, then rested before returning to training. There wasn’t a moment to spare; I had to train to lessen the chances of dying.
A few days later, the masters of Twin Sword Technique, whom the Sword Demon had sought from the Jianghu, finally gathered at Shadowless Gate. I stood beside the Sword Demon, observing them as he spoke,
“I’m glad to see all the venerable masters gathered here. I am Ximen Seo Mun-dae-ryong, the leader of the Shadowless Sect.”
The most imposing-looking middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed.
“It’s an honor to meet the renowned leader of Shadowless Sect!”
After him, the other four followed suit and bowed. The Sword Demon humbly accepted their praise.
“No need for such formalities. I’ve heard that each one of you is an exceptional expert in Twin Sword Technique, so I’m truly moved to have you all here.”
“Did you summon us to incorporate us into the Shadowless Sect?”
“Exactly. I also wish for you to teach Baek Ho-bak about Twin Sword Technique.”
Their gaze converged on me. I was currently embodying Return to Simplicity, so my demeanor didn’t seem imposing at all. Sure, I could probably intimidate them with my aura, but I deliberately maintained a low profile to assess the genuineness of their capabilities.
Then, one slim-looking Twin Sword Specialist made a face and murmured,
“Uh… that means you want us to pass on our martial arts? But that’s a closely guarded secret; I can’t teach anyone except my direct disciple.”
The Sword Demon replied firmly,
“I fully understand your concerns. Thus, I’m not asking for your unique techniques or martial arts but rather the foundational understanding of [Twin Sword Technique], which you could share as part of general martial principles.”
Whispers erupted as the five of them exchanged glances, pondering the suggestion. Finally, one stepped forward and cautiously asked,
“If we provide such high-level teachings, will there be rewards within the Shadowless Sect?”
The Sword Demon replied confidently,
“I am more than willing.”
With that, the mood lightened, and they laughed and joked happily. It was obvious they saw me as a pathway to gain honor and stature within the Shadowless Sect. As I observed their antics, my expression hardened slightly in disappointment.
‘I’m in trouble. To think I’d have to learn from these fools…’
I had already assessed their levels—they were merely at an average level, with just one approaching the peak. They might be specialists in Twin Sword Technique, but I doubted I could effectively use the Cave-Collapsing and Fire Dragon Sword techniques after learning from such underlings.
But then it happened.
Swish—
A thick aura brushed past. The Sword Demon, too, seemed to sense it, and his expression suddenly sharpened. He turned to the sturdy figure donned in a straw hat, saying,
“Blood Wolf Leader, you seem displeased.”
The expert known as Blood Wolf Leader merely replied nonchalantly,
“Not really, Shadowless Sect Leader.”
“Stop hiding your identity. My gut tells me you’re exactly who I’ve been waiting for.”
“What do you mean…?”
“You, being a top expert, must find it unbearable to be regarded on the same level as these underlings, right?”
He remained silent.
The Sword Demon continued, addressing the remaining four,
“I’ve changed my mind. You four may leave. You lack the qualifications to join the Shadowless Sect.”
“W-What?!”
“This is absurd…”
They were stunned but soon slinked away, powerless to object.
Now only the masters of Shadowless Sect and Blood Wolf Leader remained. The latter, though surprised, maintained his composure as he regarded the Sword Demon.
With an elbow propped on the chair, the Sword Demon slowly spoke,
“To be honest, I was somewhat unsure. I invited you under the guise of coincidence, worrying you might decline due to suspicion…”
“I don’t understand what you’re on about.”
“You accepted my invitation not to gain a position in the Shadowless Sect but rather to probe my strength, sent by Han Baek-ryeong, right?”
Surprisingly taken aback, the Blood Wolf Leader suddenly unsheathed his twin swords from his back.
BANG!
“Gah!”
“Kuh!”
Simultaneously, the nearby masters of Shadowless Sect were sent careening due to the overwhelming intensity emanating from his blades. As the Blood Wolf Leader unleashed a killer intent, his martial prowess skyrocketed, flames swirling intensely around his blades.
What was swirling around those swords was undoubtedly the essence of sword strength!
The Sword Demon chuckled and said,
“What an honor to meet a peak expert of the Fire Spirit Techniques.”
