Dragon-Phoenix Meet (5)
With every step I took, the eyes of the crowd followed me. It was as if they were curious to see what I was about to do.
The feeling of having my every move watched wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it was something I had to endure. After all, stealing the protagonist’s place meant every gaze in the hall was now fixed on me.
This was the weight I had to carry.
Still, it wasn’t heavier than the armor that once covered my body, nor the duties I had borne as a knight.
“Um… may I ask what brings you here?”
The voice carried a mix of fear and bewilderment. I gave a polite fist salute to the rather timid-looking Taoist and asked,
“Are you perhaps Scholar Yun, the Taoist?”
“No, that would be my senior brother. I am Scholar Zhong. Scholar Yun is my senior.”
“…I am Scholar Yun. May I ask why the Lion Sword Hero has come looking for me?”
When Scholar Yun stepped forward from among the robed Taoists and spoke, all the other Taoists turned to stare at me with curious eyes.
It must have been strange for someone with no prior connection to suddenly approach like this. If I were in their shoes and a foreigner suddenly came up to talk, I’d probably react the same way.
“I have long admired Wudang’s sword principle: ‘Wudang martial arts do not emphasize offense, yet they cannot be lightly violated.’ I had hoped to cross swords with you during the previous martial tournament, but… unfortunately, it never came to pass.”
“Are you saying… you wish to spar with me, Hero Wi?”
Scholar Yun looked at me with a bewildered expression. It was a natural reaction to a sudden sparring challenge. I nodded immediately and continued.
“That’s correct. I’d like to exchange pointers through a light, friendly match.”
“Exchanging bonds through the sword! As expected of a true martial artist who forges friendships not with words, but with martial skill! The Lion Sword Hero truly lives up to his name! Hahaha!”
As I had anticipated, Namgung Hwi—who loved a good spectacle—jumped into the conversation and subtly stirred up the atmosphere.
Scholar Yun still looked troubled, but apparently decided he had no good reason to refuse my insistence. He nodded in agreement.
“Very well. If it’s just a light spar…”
“The first friendly match of this Dragon-Phoenix Meet shall be between the Lion Sword Hero and the Pine-Gate Sword Dragon, Scholar Yun!”
“Wudang sword against the sword of the Western Regions!”
“This is going to be quite the spectacle!”
Amid the crowd’s enthusiastic reactions, I slowly walked toward the center of the hall. Scholar Yun handed a few items to his companions, then stepped forward holding only his sword.
Everything was going exactly as planned.
I stopped about twenty paces away and watched as Scholar Yun drew his sword and assumed a ready stance. The pine-tree emblem on his blade caught the light and scattered an eerie glow.
“Please go easy on me.”
“I hope this becomes quality nourishment for both of us.”
I drew the longsword that hung at my waist. The moment I took up the ox guard stance, gasps of admiration rose from every corner of the room.
Now it begins.
Once we were both ready, Namgung Hwi took it upon himself to act as referee and stepped between us.
“Following the tradition of the Dragon-Phoenix Meet’s friendly matches, the use of sword qi is forbidden, as is any lethal technique! There are no other rules, but I will intervene the moment a clear victor emerges. So show us your swords to your heart’s content!”
Finally, I would get to see Wudang’s sword.
This might very well be the spar that helps me break through to the next level.
Wudang Sword vs. Western Longsword
‘I never imagined I’d end up sparring like this…’
Scholar Yun let out a small internal sigh as he looked at the massive foreigner standing at a distance. He hadn’t expected to face the opponent he would have fought in the quarterfinals in such a manner.
The man known throughout the world as the Lion Sword Hero.
William.
He didn’t know what intentions lay behind the challenge, but what he saw in those blue eyes was pure competitive spirit… and a burning desire to improve.
‘I’m not sure how much help I can be… but it is only natural for swordsmen to forge bonds through the sword. If we can both gain something from this, then I am glad.’
“Since I was the one who requested the match, I’ll take the first move.”
William’s foot lightly kicked off the ground.
In an instant, the distance between Scholar Yun and William vanished. The twenty paces that had separated them shrank to less than four steps, and the eyes of all the young talents watching turned toward Scholar Yun.
The sword art Scholar Yun favored was the Soft Cloud Sword. While it was merely an introductory level among Wudang’s advanced sword techniques, it was in no way inferior to the famous sword styles of the world.
Wudang sword—renowned for movements as gentle as drifting clouds.
Scholar Yun’s blade drew a soft arc and gently blocked William’s sword.
‘Though the essence of the Duke of Silver’s sword and Wudang sword differ, they share similar principles. This clash is even fiercer than a battle between hard-style swords.’
Mok Gyeong’s eyes sparkled as he watched the two men perform a soft, feather-light sword dance.
Wudang sword, which employed the principle of borrowing force to redirect it, rarely found worthy counterparts. Mastering it took a long time in the ruthless murim world where a single mistake could cost your life, and using a sword principle focused on subduing rather than killing was no easy feat.
The fast sword that pursued speed.
The illusory sword that pursued extreme change.
The hard sword that pursued raw power.
Instead of those three widely accepted sword principles, Wudang pursued softness.
Because Wudang sword always embodied gentleness, it was called one of the greatest sword styles in the world—and the reason they were revered as the Southern Lords of Wudang.
‘As expected of Wudang. The feel is completely different from other swordsmen.’
William marveled at the unexpectedly soft and gentle swordplay as he deflected Scholar Yun’s blade. They had already exchanged twenty moves, yet their swords flowed together as naturally as if they were dancing.
“Your swordsmanship is magnificent.”
“So the saying that Wudang sword is the greatest under heaven is no exaggeration.”
Unlike most people who fought with swords, the two maintained a warm and harmonious atmosphere. It wasn’t a fiery clash that sent sparks flying, but a sword dance performed in perfect harmony.
The murim warriors watching this strange match could only let out sighs of admiration. After all, it was extremely rare for Wudang sword to face an opponent that pursued similar principles.
‘My choice was correct.’
To advance one’s swordsmanship and raise one’s realm, nothing was more important than experience.
He valued real combat experience far more than mere enlightenment. The reason he had risen so quickly in such a short time was precisely because of the experience he had accumulated in life-and-death battles.
That was why he absorbed every single sword strike with his eyes and stepped forward.
He naturally leaned his body into the opponent’s sword path.
It was a dangerous move, but sometimes boldness was necessary. The moment he saw Scholar Yun’s sword momentarily pause, William swung his blade lightly from above to below.
Other than the slightly closer distance, it was almost the same strike as before.
Scholar Yun looked slightly flustered but tried to gently deflect William’s sword.
‘Now.’
William released one hand from his firmly gripped sword and reached toward Scholar Yun’s wrist.
‘A seizing technique?!’
Using a seizing hand technique in the middle of a sword exchange? Instinctively reacting to the bizarre move, Scholar Yun’s hand intertwined with William’s.
A white, soft hand and a rough, large one gently tangled and separated. Having confirmed his attack had been neutralized, William asked in admiration.
“Was that… Tai Chi Fist?”
“It is the Pine Leaf Hand, though its root is indeed Tai Chi.”
“It truly is as incredible as I’ve heard.”
“It is merely a basic fist technique.”
‘As expected of Wudang. To think something of this level is considered basic…’
Even while conversing, the two continued exchanging offense and defense with one hand.
Pulling, pushing, twisting.
Though it was only a close-quarters exchange using their hands, the young talents watching couldn’t help but gasp in awe. Everyone could see how many hidden intentions were contained within the entanglement of those two hands.
Some even fell into deep thought, wondering how they themselves would counter such moves.
Before anyone realized it, the spar had turned from a sword fight into a contest of seizing techniques. Sensing that the match wouldn’t end this way, both men took three steps back.
“Shall we bring this to a close?”
“Let’s.”
William lowered his stance and charged toward Scholar Yun like a raging water buffalo. Facing the oncoming assault, Scholar Yun calmly assumed a ready stance.
William’s sword swept from right to left—a classic horizontal cut. Yet no one believed the strike would be that straightforward.
Scholar Yun raised his sword vertically and gently received William’s blade.
‘It’s light.’
This wasn’t the real move.
The moment he realized that, William’s wrist twisted, aiming the opposite side of the blade. Scholar Yun barely managed to deflect the strange motion.
‘Now that I’ve deflected the feint—’
At that instant, Scholar Yun instinctively threw his body backward. It was the posture commonly known as the iron bridge.
The third strike narrowly passed over his body. Maintaining the blocked position, William thrust forward. Having barely avoided the surprise stab, Scholar Yun recovered his stance and swung his sword.
But William’s sword had already been withdrawn and was ready for the next move. As if trying to block Scholar Yun’s sword, William extended his blade—then suddenly grabbed it with his hand and used the crossguard and pommel to catch Scholar Yun’s sword.
‘What?!’
“He’s holding the blade backwards?!”
“Such a strange technique exists? The sword arts of the Western Regions truly have mysterious aspects!”
“He’s gripping the blade with his bare hand and it’s not cutting him? Is he protecting it with inner energy? Or…”
In soft sword techniques, the most important thing was a flowing, water-like movement that could ride along anything.
But if the sword was fixed in place with nowhere to move, the soft sword could not be properly executed. William lifted his sword sideways to break Scholar Yun’s posture, then spun it once and gently placed the crossguard against the Taoist’s neck.
“…I have lost.”
It was the first time in his life that a crossguard had touched his neck.
Scholar Yun let out a long breath and declared his defeat.