Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Five Elements
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Clear Summer True Person.
At just the late twenties in age, he had reached the Transcendent Realm, surpassing all his seniors to claim the position of Wudang Sect Leader.
The evaluation of him as the greatest talent since the Divine Martial God was not exaggeration or flattery, but close to objective fact.
Though he didn't display freakish strength beyond norms, his bones and muscles were perfectly suited for cultivating martial arts.
A heavenly genius who comprehended even untaught aspects upon instruction and adapted manuals to suit himself upon reading them.
And above all, an affinity for qi so overwhelming that such talents could be dismissed as secondary.
With a foundational art whose strength lay in slow but stable accumulation, he built inner power faster than most deviant arts.
Even entering the sect at an age when cultivating martial arts is difficult, he completed the Grand Celestial Circuit in less than two years and ascended to the Peak Realm.
Now at Transcendent Realm, his mastery over qi as Sect Leader transcended imagination.
The Five Elements Sword Arts were a consummate technique born from that mastery at its zenith.
A supreme prowess wielding pure qi akin to nature's essential forces, grasped in hand and swung as a sword.
For instance, the power of a fiercely erupting volcano was infused into flames that engulfed So-hyang.
Fire Sword Art, Total Sweep.
"Taste some heat!"
"My, how fiery."
A wave of fiery qi similar to the flames spewed by the firecracker during the Spirit Sword tempering.
Intense heat that melted Gang Qi and burned even the indestructible properties seeped through her skin.
It was obvious that even So-hyang's body would suffer severe burns if struck.
"Well, if it hits, that is."
So-hyang's toe tapped the ground, and in an instant, she widened the distance as if folding space.
A footwork referencing the contraction from Heavenly Mechanism Foresight she had seen before—not truly shortening space, but compensating with physical ability, making the effective speed nearly identical.
A brilliant technique worthy of being called an ultimate art in its own right, yet the Sect Leader showed little surprise.
Such footwork existed within Wudang Sect, and he could perform it himself. His master, even more so.
At Transcendent Realm, dodging was expected; he hadn't seriously aimed to hit. It was bait tossed lightly to gauge her response.
"Oh, dodged it?"
Among the five swords floating behind the Sect Leader, the Wood Sword began to move.
Not a sword carved from wood, but a condensation of the qi embodying growth and life symbolized by wood.
Wood among the Five Elements, Zhen trigram among the Eight Trigrams—the qi transformed into thunder's nature.
A martial feat defying common sense: one warrior containing and commanding numerous qi natures like his own limbs.
This was the function of the consummate technique Five Elements Sword Arts, but at root, it was the Sect Leader's innate talent.
Even before perfecting the technique, he performed such marvels as routinely as eating.
The stable qi surged violently, emitting blindingly intense light.
Lightning formed without clouds took sword shape, aimed at So-hyang.
"Then, try dodging this."
Wood Sword Art, Thunder Roar.
An attack at thunder speed far exceeding sound. Even So-hyang couldn't see and dodge it.
An ultra-swift strike impossible to dodge once seen.
"—But I'm used to that sort."
Yet So-hyang had captured the onset of wood qi turning to thunder qi, the prelude of the thunder sword tip aimed at her.
In other words, like dodging bullets in her past life.
Gauging direction from the aimed barrel.
Recognizing trigger pull from finger tendon contraction.
By the moment the projectile fired, So-hyang was no longer the target.
Prediction and evasion.
Her clothing fibers rose from pervasive currents, a few hairs stood on end—that was the extent of her damage.
"Ouch, that stings."
Then, as if asking if that was all, she leisurely smiled, closing distance on the stationary, non-attacking Sect Leader.
"Ha, smiling? You don't even realize I've been holding back...!"
The Sect Leader couldn't help but bristle.
"The Five Elements Sword Arts is a martial art utilizing all Five Elements' powers...! I just tested your skill, but look at you, so proud...!?"
As he spoke, the five swords floating behind him moved in unison.
"Ahaha, nice."
As swords radiating brilliant multicolored light filled her vision, satisfaction bloomed on So-hyang's face.
-----
"Mm, quite flashy."
Fierce flames devoured So-hyang's position, frozen ground clung to her steps.
She danced her feet amid ceaseless lightning bolts, while Metal qi-forged razor-sharp sword qi targeted her throat.
Though a colorful linkage in itself, the true marvel lay elsewhere.
"What, is your inner power rotting or something?"
The inner power per strike was on another scale entirely, densely packed without instability, fired cleanly.
In result, he unleashed overwhelming force incomparable to Demon Seal Cave Master Lee Se-min or Jeon Jeon Se Family Head, as naturally as breathing.
Evasion alone seemed unsustainable now.
The Spirit Sword stored in her Upper Dantian instantly filled her hand, blank-white Gang Qi coiling the blade.
With air-splitting sounds, dozens of sword strikes engulfed surroundings, shredding the Sect Leader's pervasive Gang Qi.
"...Huh?"
"Ho, not bad?"
The resistance felt through her hands was considerable.
Far beyond Lee Se-min's Gang Qi, comparable to Jeon Jeon Se Family Head's.
Even that, benchmarked after adapting and gaining resistance to cleaving strikes.
If So-hyang lacked Gang Qi manifestation then, she might have struggled far more than this casual parry.
Compared to Jeon Jeon Se Family Head, the Sect Leader was undoubtedly superior.
He could overwhelm defenses pre-adaptation with margin, and handling diverse qi natures synergized well against Lightning Marrow Progress.
Not the same uniqueness as Lightning Marrow, but overwhelming in base power units.
And wielding such varied qi simultaneously was uniqueness in itself.
"Tch, think this ends it!?"
Yes, the true power of Five Elements Sword Arts wasn't mere varied attacks.
The harmony of myriad qi filling great nature, the compounded amplification thereby.
The qi began overlapping.
Wood births Fire: Massive flames fueled by wood qi as kindling filled the peak.
Metal births Water: Ice spears sharpened cooler and keener by metal qi shot forth.
Water births Wood: Dense water qi as thunderclouds triggered and amplified wood qi into bursting lightning.
Striking vast space where evasion was impossible, crushing with brute force defying defense.
Astonishingly similar to Jeon Jeon Se Family Head's final move in their bout.
An apt response analyzing her movements, yet the Sect Leader's proud forte.
Overwhelming firepower from vast inner power.
Brutal, yet sufficiently threatening.
"Ahahaha, straightforward and clear!"
Thus, So-hyang's response simplified accordingly.
Sharper.
Faster.
The blank-white Spirit Gang around Spirit Sword shrank thinner, blade like a razor.
Blood and spirit qi circulating Four Limbs Hundred Veins accelerated, tightening muscle fibers contracting beyond limits.
Precisely to the verge without straining the seal—maximizing extractable power delicately.
A stance taut like a coiled beast, pressure sucking in surrounding air.
"Ugh, what...!"
Cold sweat beaded the Sect Leader's brow.
No murderous intent emanated, no pressure from aura.
Instinctual like facing imminent landslide or colossal tsunami.
Blade-sharp sharpness on the soul, evoking his master's sword presence.
Sixteen, huh? What the hell is this girl...!
The Sect Leader's consummate technique battered the peak, resounding thunderously through Wudang Mountain.
So-hyang's single sword silenced the roar in a flash.
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"Hahk, hahk...!"
The Sect Leader's assault shattered against So-hyang's single sword, dissipating lightly. Yet unspent, it grazed his bangs.
Wind-scattered severed locks, his eyes shook violently.
"You, you, youuu...!"
Clearly, it could have cut deeper.
Undeniably, she had held back.
His master's proud disciple, Wudang's Sect Leader, utterly overwhelmed by the challenger.
A warrior's pride shredded, eyes reddening with shaking pupils.
The girl, the challenger, the White Lotus Sword—could have ended it, but deliberately didn't.
Then, then—however unsightly, opportunity remained.
"You'll regret not ending it now...! No more carelessness...!"
Turn it around.
Though merely a decade since reaching Transcendent Realm, his inner power rivaled his two-century master's vastness.
Among fellow Transcendents, his depth was leagues apart.
Plenty of reserves. Mind honed to the limit.
"Uwaaaaa!!!"
Once more, Five Elements qi compounded.
Amplified further by mutual generation and synergy, densely packed with all dantian reserves poured in utmost focus.
Power incomparable to before compressed to utmost into a tiny orb.
A simply forged Gang Orb shot anew at So-hyang.
"Die—!"
Qi near nature's essence, as if compressing worldly forces, purer primal violence per Five Elements principles.
Pure nature's qi...
Isn't that spirit qi?
Following sudden inspiration, So-hyang lightly brought Spirit Sword to the incoming orb.
"...!? What are you doing—!"
Merely raising the sword without infusing qi snapped the Sect Leader's excited mind like cold water.
Sure, he yelled "die," but truly killing? This was friendly sparring, not life-or-death.
"No...!"
She should have dodged, or parried like before—what idiocy is this...!?
A strike densely packed with space-warping inner power. In sheer might, a supreme technique rivaling Fusion Realm.
And the Sect Leader's sphere vanished like a water drop on sand.
"...Wha, what?"
"Ho, it works?"
The massive qi was wholly absorbed into So-hyang's Spirit Sword per Bright Mystery Sword Art principles.
Of course, its magnitude made full digestion another matter.
"Ah, oops."
Unable to bear the load, the quivering Spirit Sword neared fracture; So-hyang urgently gripped the hilt, distributing qi to her body.
"Phew."
Even expelling excess, the absorbed amount was tremendous.
"...???"
Question marks flooded the Sect Leader's mind, his boiling outrage subsiding.
"Wait, how, why, what...?"
"Mm, thanks?"
"Wha, no, ugh...?"
-----
As if consuming a spirit pill, her spirit qi ballooned nearly double—unexpected gain, of course.
"But it's not that big a deal."
Spirit qi recovers every moment, after all.
Rarely depleted, this merely expanded maximum deployable amount, but insight remained paramount.
So-hyang glanced at the Sect Leader still dazed, mumbling incoherently, then turned to meet eyes with Clear Harmony True Person watching the spar.
[Not just mentality, but immature even in martial arts... I get what you mean.]
[...Yes, that child Qingxia is, shall we say... poorly habituated.]
This wasn't about strength disparity.
Purely power-wise, top-tier among average Transcendents like Jeon Jeon Se Family Head.
So-hyang was the freakish outlier; in inaction alone, befitting Wudang Sect Leader.
The issue was.
"...He's not moving his body?"
Over-relying on overwhelming qi control, neglecting arts wielded by directly moving limbs.