Chapter 162
Episode 162
＃1
6
2. <The Black Flame Dragon That Quells the Chaos (7)>
“You’re kicking off your blankets again.” (Kang Yuseong)
After covering his Noonas with their blankets once more, Kang Yuseong quietly left the room.
A quiet darkness had settled over everything, and the sound of grass insects crying from far away told him it was deep into the night.
Kang Yuseong paid it no mind and slowly walked toward the small training ground.
This was Kang Yuseong’s fixed routine.
It was a habit he had not skipped for even a single day. ‘Senior Brother said he could already draw six blades of Ten Thousand Swords.’ (Kang Yuseong) Compared to the level of his Senior Brother that he had heard about through letters, he was now barely at the state where he could create two blades.
When he thought that there was not much difference in when they had begun studying the Taeul True Scripture, impatience came over him on its own. ‘Am I doing well?’ (Kang Yuseong) And yet when he thought back to the days when he had looked after his Noonas alone with nowhere to lean on, a deep sigh of relief escaped him.
What would have happened if he had not met Senior Brother that day?
What would have happened if Senior Brother had not told him to come to the Taeul Sect?
Thanks to that, he was now eating three full meals a day with his Noonas in a comfortable and cozy place.
On top of that, he was learning the martial arts he had dreamed of so much.
To Kang Yuseong, Senior Brother Jin Soun and the Taeul Sect were truly a place no different from his parents’ embrace. ‘I have to repay this grace.’ (Kang Yuseong) Kang Yuseong rubbed his drowsy eyes and quickly moved his feet toward the small training ground.
“Haat!” (Wang Soso)
Clatter.
Along with a clear shout, a rattling sound rang out.
Things like pieces of iron flew sharply into the scarecrow set up in the training ground.
The figure standing in the center fluttered her loose martial arts uniform and created illusions, and from her hidden hand, pieces of iron were scattered again, with the principles of illusion contained within them so that they looked like dozens, even hundreds.
Clatterrrrr.
The scarecrow that had been receiving the baptism of iron pieces eventually could not endure and fell over with a crack. ‘Senior Sister Wang?’ (Kang Yuseong) Only then did Kang Yuseong realize who the prior visitor was, and he tried to quietly leave the small training ground.
It was something he had learned after coming to the Taeul Sect: among martial artists, peeking at one another’s training process was said to be a very grave discourtesy.
Just as he turned around and tried to find somewhere else.
“Junior Brother Kang?” (Wang Soso)
Wang Soso, who had been catching her breath, called Kang Yuseong.
“Did you come to train?” (Wang Soso)
“Yes, Senior Sister. I can use another place, so you may keep using this place, Senior Sister.” (Kang Yuseong)
“Really? Then since it’s come to this anyway, shall we train together?” (Wang Soso)
“Pardon?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Why? Am I too far below your level?” (Wang Soso)
“No, what... why would you say that?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Then come here.” (Wang Soso)
When Kang Yuseong approached, Wang Soso stroked Kang Yuseong’s head.
In front of his Noonas he was a dignified adult, but before Wang Soso, Kang Yuseong turned into something like the youngest sibling.
“You work hard, Junior Brother.” (Wang Soso)
“......
Ahem. Senior Sister, what brings you here until this late hour?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Mm. When I go home, Father won’t let me practice. He says I’m tired, so I should sleep early. Not training is harder, though.” (Wang Soso)
“......” (Kang Yuseong)
Kang Yuseong looked at Wang Soso as if he found her fascinating.
“Senior Sister... May I ask you just one thing?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Mm? What is it?” (Wang Soso)
“I heard that your father gives a great deal of support to the Taeul Sect, Senior Sister Wang, and that you also said you would become a merchant later... Why do you work this hard?” (Kang Yuseong)
Wang Soso tilted her head.
“What does giving a lot of support and becoming a merchant have to do with working hard?” (Wang Soso)
“Pardon? Ah... um, that is...” (Kang Yuseong)
Kang Yuseong began stumbling over his words, thinking he had misspoken somehow.
Wang Soso’s eyes grew a little sharp.
“If I’m someone who gives a lot of support and is going to become a merchant, am I not allowed to work hard? Did I do something wrong?” (Wang Soso)
“......
No! That’s not it...!” (Kang Yuseong)
When Kang Yuseong panicked and had no idea what to do, Wang Soso burst out laughing.
“You swing a sword like a black ghost, so what use is such a weak personality?” (Wang Soso)
“......
That is too much, Senior Sister.” (Kang Yuseong)
“So what are you really curious about?” (Wang Soso)
Kang Yuseong hesitated briefly, then looked Wang Soso straight in the eyes.
“I mean... I have received a lot from the Taeul Sect, but I have no way to repay it. So I am training hard at least. But I was curious why you, Senior Sister, who are giving so much to the Taeul Sect, train so hard.” (Kang Yuseong)
At Kang Yuseong’s sincere answer, Wang Soso smiled softly.
“Ah! So that was what you were worrying about? Mm... Well. Because I like the Taeul Sect?” (Wang Soso)
“You like the Taeul Sect?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Well, to be precise, it’s because I’ve received a lot from Orabeoni Jin, but in any case, I figured there would be a day when I could repay him too.” (Wang Soso)
A hint of doubt appeared in Kang Yuseong’s eyes.
To him, Senior Brother seemed like an existence so strong that he needed no one’s help.
“......
Isn’t Senior Brother already tremendously strong? I wonder if we can truly be of help...” (Kang Yuseong)
“Of course he is amazing... In truth, he is absurdly strong. I know because I often meet martial artists while doing merchant work, but there don’t seem to be many people his age who can be compared to our Orabeoni Jin.” (Wang Soso)
For some reason, Wang Soso shrugged as if she were bragging about herself.
“Still, there will be moments when he needs help.” (Wang Soso)
“When?” (Kang Yuseong)
“How would I know that? Anyway, even if it isn’t that, us becoming stronger will be a tremendous help to Orabeoni Jin. At the very least, we won’t be a hindrance to him, right?” (Wang Soso)
A hindrance. It was a part he had never once thought about. Kang Yuseong asked back.
“......
A hindrance?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Of course. Special people like Orabeoni Jin tend to gain many enemies in the world. Among them, there are even cases where they can’t do anything to Orabeoni Jin, so they touch his sect or family.” (Wang Soso)
“Heavens! How could they be so cowardly!” (Kang Yuseong)
“Exactly. So we have to work hard so that we don’t hold Orabeoni Jin back. That way, Orabeoni Jin will be able to accomplish what he wants.” (Wang Soso)
Wang Soso, who had been stroking Yuseong’s head as if treating him like the youngest sibling, soon tapped his shoulder as if knocking on solid wood.
“If we go even further and the Taeul Sect becomes strong, no one will be able to treat Orabeoni Jin carelessly.” (Wang Soso)
“So in the end, us becoming strong is a tremendous help to Senior Brother.” (Kang Yuseong)
“That’s right!” (Wang Soso)
Kang Yuseong wore a refreshed expression, as if a worry he had held for a long time had been resolved.
“I will work even harder.” (Kang Yuseong)
“Mm... I think you’re already doing enough. Well, working hard is a good thing.” (Wang Soso)
“Yes! By the way, Senior Sister, what kind of training were you doing just now?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Me? I was practicing throwing arts right now.” (Wang Soso)
“Throwing arts?” (Kang Yuseong)
Yuseong tilted his head.
“Mm, the sword is good too, but I think throwing arts are a bit more fun.” (Wang Soso)
“Then may I help you?” (Kang Yuseong)
“You will?” (Wang Soso)
“Yes! I was also training Ten Thousand Swords right now. I’ll bring the hidden weapons.” (Kang Yuseong)
“Thanks. I’ll catch my breath a little.” (Wang Soso)
While Wang Soso picked up the water bottle she had brought and placed beside her and drank water.
Kang Yuseong approached the scarecrow. ‘Mm?’ (Kang Yuseong) Kang Yuseong, who was about to pull out the hidden weapons lodged in the scarecrow, tilted his head because the shape of the hidden weapon was strange, then looked at Wang Soso.
“......
Senior Sister, have you perhaps been training with this all this time?” (Kang Yuseong)
“Mm? Ah! I wanted to use flying daggers, but Father said they were dangerous and told me not to use flying daggers.” (Wang Soso)
“......” (Kang Yuseong)
“As I looked for something suitable... Well. That was what we had the most of at home too.” (Wang Soso)
Kang Yuseong once again looked at the hidden weapon lodged in the scarecrow.
“......” (Kang Yuseong)
Overall, it had a round shape with a square hole in the middle, made so that a string could easily be threaded through it.
However, most people did not carry these around threaded on a string.
Because there was a risk of theft, they usually placed them inside a small wallet and stored them in the deepest part of their clothing.
In other words, what Wang Soso had been throwing around wildly was exactly.
“......
You’re using silver coins as hidden weapons?” (Kang Yuseong)
“That’s right. So stop asking and hurry up and bring them over!” (Wang Soso)
“......” (Kang Yuseong)
Kang Yuseong became curious.
If this hidden weapon dug into his flesh, would it become his?
And if so, how many hits he could withstand.# “Uwegh.” (Jin Soun)
Once I vomited up a handful of blood, the stuffiness inside me eased.
“Haa, haa, haa.” (Jin Soun)
As I gasped for breath, my mind returned a little. ‘What on earth went wrong?’ (Jin Soun) I had definitely followed Sword Demon Baek Haegwang’s movements exactly.
My tattered muscles had changed to a form somewhat similar to his, and thanks to enduring the pain of grinding down my bones, my bones too had changed into a state sufficient to unleash the Three Forms of White Moon Ruling the Heavens.
Even the chants and key principles were perfect.
But whenever I unleashed the Three Forms of White Moon Ruling the Heavens, the movement of my inner arts kept cutting off, and it felt as if my internal organs were turning over.
I had perfectly imitated everything, but in the end, I could not even manifest the first technique of the Three Forms of White Moon Iron Rule.
“Heavens... Young Master Jin.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
When I turned my head with my mind dazed, I saw Namgung Seonhwa’s pale face.
“What on earth happened?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......
Nothing happened.” (Jin Soun)
“Then what is all this blood?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......” (Jin Soun)
Only then did I look around, and all around me was filled with the clotted blood I had vomited.
This, well, looks like I went through a life-or-death battle or something.
“I was in the middle of training, but it seems something went wrong.” (Jin Soun)
“You call this training?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
Namgung Seonhwa looked around as if she could not believe it, then handed me the water bottle she was holding.
Without stopping, I drank nearly half of the water in the bottle.
“Haa... haa... haa......” (Jin Soun)
“......” (Namgung Seonhwa)
What on earth went wrong?
As the time for the duel drew near, desperation churned in my heart.
“......
Master, Young Master Jin!” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Yes?” (Jin Soun)
When I turned my head in surprise, Namgung Seonhwa was looking at me with a face full of worry.
“Exactly which part are you blocked on?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Which part?” (Jin Soun)
“Yes. Isn’t everything you spat out here blood?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“That’s right.” (Jin Soun)
“It means the circulation of your qi isn’t working properly. If you keep overdoing it like this, qi deviation might come.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......” (Jin Soun)
It was clear that the circulation of my qi was not working properly.
No, to be precise, the circulation of my qi was running wild on its own, and I was in a state where I could not control it.
If I had not at least strengthened my meridians and qi center with the power of the Nine령 Divine Herb, qi deviation would have come ten more times already. ‘Did that Sword Demon fellow perhaps teach me the wrong chant?’ (Jin Soun) I had that thought, then shook it from my head.
To begin with, he had been the one to hand it to me first. If his goal had been to kill me, it would have been enough to kill me with his own hands.
The chants were perfect, the movements were perfect, and the proficiency was perfect.
Then why was I unable to properly unfold the sword technique?
“Miss Seonhwa.” (Jin Soun)
“Yes?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Did you learn the Emperor’s Sword Technique from the Divine Sword?” (Jin Soun)
“I did, yes?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Could you tell me how far your achievement has gone?” (Jin Soun)
Namgung Seonhwa’s face hardened.
Because carelessly asking another person’s realm was one of the discourtesies among martial artists.
I continued speaking.
“What I mean is, I want to know what level you are at compared to the Divine Sword.” (Jin Soun)
“......
Compared to Grandfather?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
Namgung Seonhwa, whose expression had loosened, propped her chin with a finger and sank into thought.
“About as much as a bird’s-foot worth of blood?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......
Is that a metaphorical expression? Or a literal expression?” (Jin Soun)
“It is both.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Is it because of the difference in inner arts?” (Jin Soun)
“......
It isn’t. As you know, in order to learn the Emperor’s Sword Technique, one must learn the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art, but once you rise above a certain level, there is no major difficulty in unfolding the Emperor’s Sword Technique.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
It was the same as what I had thought.
No matter how remarkable Sword Demon Baek Haegwang’s level of inner arts was, with my current inner arts, there was no major difficulty in unfolding the Three Forms of White Moon Ruling the Heavens.
“Then where does the difference in achievement between the Divine Sword and you come from, Miss?” (Jin Soun)
“......
I suppose it is because of time, after all.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Do you mean proficiency?” (Jin Soun)
“That too, but...” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Then if Miss Seonhwa could unfold it with the exact same movements and postures as the Divine Sword, would you achieve the same level of accomplishment as the Divine Sword?” (Jin Soun)
In my case, I had matched everything: the chants, inner arts, and even the time for proficiency.
Rather, it was stranger that the sword technique was not manifesting.
Namgung Seonhwa, who had been tilting her head, began to gradually harden her face.
“What on earth are you scheming?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
Thinking I might worry her for some reason, I made a suitable excuse.
“I was simply curious. Our sect does not have a supreme master like the Divine Sword, does it? Then I was merely curious why a difference in achievement arises even if one learns identically from someone like the Divine Sword.” (Jin Soun)
Even after I said that, Namgung Seonhwa did not seem to believe me at all.
“You suddenly became curious about that in this urgent situation?” (Namgung Seonhwa)
Namgung Seonhwa looked at the floor drenched in blood and found it absurd.
I answered without a single shred of shame.
“Should a martial artist’s training really pick and choose time and place?” (Jin Soun)
Namgung Seonhwa, who had been glaring at me, let out a small sigh.
“......
I don’t trust you, but in any case, to tell you, there was something a little similar within the clan. One of my uncles followed Grandfather around every day and tried to imitate not only his sword techniques but even his actions and habits.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
Oho, to think there was someone in the Namgung Clan who had the same thought as me. Somehow, I feel a sense of kinship.
“How was that person’s achievement? Was it similar to the Divine Sword’s?” (Jin Soun)
“Not at all.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
Eh?
“It did not rise at all. Rather, his achievement was lower than those who had begun at the same age as him.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......
Why?” (Jin Soun)
“According to what Grandfather said later, without one’s own realization, merely following someone else’s only makes it awkward, like wearing clothes that do not fit.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......” (Jin Soun)
“He said that merit must be built by oneself, with one’s own strength. He said that if a hundred people learn one martial art, it becomes a hundred martial arts.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......!” (Jin Soun)
Images rose clearly in my mind.
The Three Forms of White Moon Ruling the Heavens as unfolded by the Sword Demon.
And the Three Forms of White Moon Ruling the Heavens as unfolded by me.
Even though we swung the same sword, the principles held within the swords were quite different.
When I overlapped the two people’s images into one, even though they were making the same movements, they did not fit together as one.
In the end, even if I imitated the Sword Demon’s sword exactly, I could not produce the same level of power as the Sword Demon.
“Still, Grandfather said it was not a bad method. He said it was a way to embody, within oneself and in the fastest time, the achievement that someone at a high level had built up over a long period. Though he himself hated it when others clung to him.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“What happened to that uncle in reality?” (Jin Soun)
“He is now serving as Vice Hall Leader in the Enforcement Hall.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“Are you saying that Master Blue Dragon Jade Sword did something like that in the past?” (Jin Soun)
Blue Dragon Jade Sword Namgung Seonmyeong was someone who, even in my previous life, enforced the alliance law according to law and discipline rather than a person’s background.
Because the influence of the clan he possessed was extremely strong, and because he himself had the remarkable martial might to be ranked among the hundred greatest masters of the martial world, there was no one who dared exert outside pressure on Blue Dragon Jade Sword.
“Yes.” (Namgung Seonhwa)
“......” (Jin Soun)
In that case, imitating it exactly was not wrong.
Only, until now, I had been pursuing not my own realization but only the Sword Demon’s realization.
It meant that what mattered was having a realization of my own within it, beyond merely imitating it exactly.
“Ah!” (Jin Soun)
Before the thought flashing through my mind could fly away, I quickly crossed my legs into the lotus position.
“Miss Seonhwa, no matter what happens to me, please do not wake me.” (Jin Soun)
“......
No, what on earth...” (Namgung Seonhwa)
I closed my eyes before hearing Namgung Seonhwa’s answer.
I began to realize the Sword Demon holding a tree branch inside my head.
One person... eight people... fourteen people... thirty people......
At the same time, I too, holding the Black Dragon Sword, was realized.
In that way, thirty Sword Demons and thirty illusions of myself began to unfold the Three Forms of White Moon Ruling the Heavens at the same time.
Even though I was focusing on nothingness, I felt heat rising in my head.
To cool my head, which had grown hot enough for steam to rise at any moment, I quickly sent my qi to the upper qi center and tried to stabilize it.
Each time thirty of each unfolded the techniques, heat began to rise not only in my head but throughout my body.
Soon, the smell of iron thickly permeated both nostrils, and I felt liquid running down.
The Sword Demon’s sword techniques were identical for all thirty.
Even if they each began differently, their movements were the same, and they ended at the same time.
However, my forms were each different.
They began at the same time and ended differently.
I took out one illusion of the Sword Demon and one of myself and began a duel.
Three techniques.
In only three techniques, my illusion disappeared.
Cough.
Before I knew it, clotted blood burst out from inside my mouth.
Young Master Jin...!! (Namgung Seonhwa)
I heard Namgung Seonhwa’s voice, but I ignored it and continued the duel.
The second duel......
Defeat.
The fourth duel......
Defeat.
The seventh duel......
Defeat.
The thirteenth duel......
Defeat.
If the illusion of myself ahead was defeated, the illusion that followed behind received that memory and responded differently.
The Sword Demon’s illusion was exactly as it had been when I met him in the Library of Ten Thousand Books.
The things he had said over the past month rose clearly in my mind.
The ultimate technique of the first form is extreme speed. To be the fastest, you must carry nothing. (Baek Haegwang)
The eighteenth duel......
Defeat.
The twenty-first duel......
Defeat.
The twenty-ninth duel......
Defeat.
The thirtieth duel......
Defeat.
My mind snapped awake, and from my overturned insides, something large burst out.
“Uwegh!” (Jin Soun)
My black martial arts uniform was dirtied with blood.
“Young Master Jin! Stop! You will die at this rate!” (Namgung Seonhwa)
I reached my hand out toward Namgung Seonhwa.
“Please... protect me.” (Jin Soun)
And again, thirty Sword Demons and thirty of me began to clash.
The thirty-fourth duel......
Defeat.
The thirty-ninth duel......
Defeat.
The forty-sixth duel......
Defeat.
You must become the lightest state to be the fastest. A speed that nothing can chase cannot be blocked by anything. (Baek Haegwang)
The fifty-first duel......
Draw.
The fifty-fourth duel......
Draw.
An unfinished sword is nothing more than a sandcastle that can break at any time. Break it before it is completed as the lightest and fastest sword. (Baek Haegwang)
The fifty-sixth duel............
Draw.
The fifty-ninth duel......
The sixtieth duel......
My whole body trembled violently, and my eyes flashed open.
With spasms ruling my whole body, my muscles and bones went numb and began to twist on their own.
Crunch, crunch. Crack. Crack.
A knotted, unpleasant sensation from deep within my body flowed backward and quickly climbed up my esophagus.
“......
Uweeegh!” (Jin Soun)
I vomited blood and foam as though I had drunk more alcohol than I could handle.
“Young Master Jin!” (Namgung Seonhwa)
Namgung Seonhwa’s voice came from far, far away.
And like that, I finally let go of my fading consciousness.