The Color of the Sword
A new world lay before my eyes.
I had not yet fully entered that realm, but if I did, I knew it would be completely different from anything I had known before.
I felt it instinctively.
The purple intent.
As I grew familiar with the direction it pointed, the secret of the Moonwater Palace Record floated to the surface of my mind.
Up until now, though I had memorized every line, I had never truly understood a single word.
That was why, even with a divine skill like this in my hands, I could not make sense of it.
But now.
The moment the purple path appeared, something within me whispered that I could finally understand the Moonwater Palace Record.
'Why has everyone called it utter nonsense? Now it makes sense.'
Yes. This was a martial art that could erase the very history of the Yeon Kingdom's martial world.
It might have started as a technique for escaping the Heavenly Venerables and launching ambushes, yet if used properly, it could become far more.
—Without a doubt, this Moonwater Palace Record was a technique for slaying those Heavenly Venerables!
It was the very evaluation Kim Young-hoon had once given to the Moonwater Palace Record back in the distant past.
Yes. If used correctly, it was a martial art capable of killing Heavenly Venerables!
The lines of the Moonwater Palace Record brushed against my mind like wind.
[When clashing with martial arts, if the clash of colors themselves is what defines power… can one not attack the colors directly?]
It was a phrase I had failed to grasp before I stepped into the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown realm.
Yet now I understood it clearly.
'The clash of colors is intent. And attacking the clash of colors itself means…'
Attacking the intent itself!
Beyond exchanging intent in combat, by attacking intent directly and pushing it further, one could even sever the opponent's very perception.
The foundation of the Moonwater Palace Record.
And those who mastered it with that foundation could also sever the Heavenly Venerables' perception, carving out their blind spots!
Exactly what Kim Young-hoon had demonstrated: a divine technique that vanished like a ghost, not through his perfected law, but through instantly slicing away my perception so I could not sense him at all!
Shuk!
My sword plunged straight into the flow of the Crown Prince's perception.
Even human perception held results.
Steering my sword toward the gaps in that result, I focused my intent according to the Moonwater Palace Record's secret and severed his perception.
Paaat!
The edges of his perception split wide open.
I stood right before his eyes, yet to him I was nothing more than a fading ghost.
I had claimed his blind spot.
Ordinary martial artists could never fully perceive a Heavenly Venerable's intent that dominated space.
Conversely, the Heavenly Venerables could perceive every movement of the martial artists who entered their domain.
But the Moonwater Palace Record erased that blind spot, rendering the Heavenly Venerables unable to sense martial artists at all.
A martial art that made mortal and immortal momentarily equal!
This was it.
'A technique humans invented to surpass the heavens!'
Cutting through the Crown Prince's perception flow with lightning speed, I closed the distance and raised my sword.
Danak Sword Art.
One breath.
Wolak!
Paaat!
The Sword Thread aimed precisely at his throat.
And then came the metallic ring.
Kang!
A translucent defense talisman had already enveloped his body.
"Hah… hah…! What kind of trickery was that, you insect?!"
He had barely reacted to my sudden disappearance and counterattack, so he hastily formed a law seal.
Kwaang!
His aura surged as the surrounding qi currents shifted violently.
Peurung!
I flew backward with powerful recoil, and a small dragon of wind rose around the Crown Prince.
"Your tricks were interesting, but I'll show you that they won't work on a true Heavenly Venerable!"
Piuung!
Several Wind Blades erupted from the wind that enveloped him.
I retreated hastily and escaped beyond his intent domain.
Outside the intent domain, the flow of intent was clearly visible.
Danak Sword Art.
Goam.
Bung, bung, bung!
In perfect offensive and defensive stance, I swept aside every Wind Blade with optimal trajectories, then prepared to re-enter his domain.
But the moment the Crown Prince formed another law seal, a Wind Bullet the size of my upper body shot toward me from the wind.
'I need to get out of the way first.'
Furrowing my brows, I unfolded my movement technique and fled toward the village inside the Makri Se Clan territory.
Kwaang, kwa-aang!
A few thatched houses collapsed under the Wind Bullet attack, and corpses and bloodstains spilled from within.
'I must approach inside the whirlwind.'
Yet as I observed the Crown Prince's whirlwind closely, I clicked my tongue.
'Every single breeze is a Wind Blade. If I enter, I'll be shredded to pieces.'
Even if I sliced through and approached, unless I pierced the whirlwind, I could not deliver a blow.
'No, wait.'
Even if I pierced it, the Crown Prince's defense talismans would remain.
My sword could not break through them.
'How can I pierce all of this…'
Kwaang, kwaang, kwaang!
I darted through the village alleys, using the Heavenly Venerables' houses as shields against his attacks.
Fleeing was no problem.
As long as I stayed outside his intent domain and watched the intent flowing toward where the Wind Blades would appear, I could handle it.
But fundamentally, mortal qi was impure compared to a Heavenly Venerable's law power.
No matter how much qi I possessed, a martial artist would tire far faster than a Heavenly Venerable.
'I can't stall forever.'
I had to end this quickly.
And to do that…
'Right now. Right this instant. I must step into the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown!'
I would not miss this clue. I would ascend at once.
With my life on the line!
Ta!
I leaped onto the roof of a house with the Moonwalk Step, and thrust my sword at the Wind Bullet the Crown Prince hurled.
Booong!
Kwa-aang!
Using the Back Pulse style, it split cleanly in half and scattered to both sides.
Jing, jing, jing!
'My hand is shaking.'
Yet the power contained in the Wind Bullet was truly terrifying.
The hand gripping the sword began to hurt intensely.
'I'll keep receiving those attacks.'
But I stopped thinking about evasion and instead extended my sword toward his Wind Bullets and Wind Blades.
The intent of the Wind Bullets and Wind Blades turned toward me.
I caught the stance of Danak Sword Art by watching the attacks coming from left and right.
Danak Sword Art.
Sansuhwa!
The diagonal slash extended left and right, cleaving the oncoming Wind Blades and Wind Bullets.
Yet beyond that, endless Wind Blades surged forward once more.
'It won't stop.'
Gripping my sword, I continued unfolding my stances.
Danak Sword Art.
Yosan Yoak.
Yureung.
Giseok.
Goam.
Zonghoemujin, slicing through the wind.
Stabbing and bursting the Wind Bullets.
Changing trajectories and then blocking with perfect offensive and defensive stance.
With every step, I drew closer once more.
Shuk!
Shuk!
Even so, several Wind Blades that I could not avoid slashed across my body at blinding speed.
Shoulder, waist, cheek, thigh.
The skin where the Wind Blades had passed became rags.
"Hmph, what dare you approach here! Die!"
Forming a law seal, the Crown Prince's whirlwind began to swirl, and countless Wind Blades coalesced.
The Wind Blades soon took the form of a Peng Bird.
Scarlet intent raged toward me.
Killing intent poured down across the entire space where I stood.
I could not block it.
I could not evade it.
The instant it arrived, I would die.
My instincts screamed it.
Yet for some reason, I felt no fear.
I simply followed the faint purple intent that lay between the endless red intent.
'What does purple mean…'
Blue was the intent of protection.
That was why it extended from me.
Red was the intent of killing.
That was why it extended from the enemy.
Then what was purple?
Purple was…
Suddenly, I felt as if the red and blue intents twisted together and formed the Taiji symbol.
Even though blue was weaker than red, it mixed in.
And between red and blue lay the purple intent that opened a path.
'Purple is the color born from the mixing of blue and red.'
Enemy and self.
The will to protect and the will to kill.
How could those two intents mix?
Suddenly, I stared at the stance I had caught and found it absurd.
Standing before that terrifying attack, I had caught the stance of Danak Sword Art, One Breath, Wolak.
'Have I lost the desire to kill?'
No, no.
I had always wanted to live.
Then this stance I caught now was also a stance born from my desire to live.
'Ah, yes.'
This was no simple Wolak.
Wolak was the beginning and end of Danak Sword Art.
Therefore, the stance that opened the ultimate style of Danak, Jeokak, was also possible.
Kieeeek!
The Peng Bird came flying.
Stepping toward the Peng Bird, Danak Sword Art, Twenty-Two Breaths, Danak.
Wolak.
Ipsan.
Deungmaek.
p>Yureung.
Goam.
Giseok.
Simsan.
Yugok.
Sansuhwa.
Yongmaek.
Danæ.
Sip-i Guang Ilchulbong.
Horizontal slash, then downward slash, grasping the sword and upward strike, then thrusting crookedly, followed by a full offensive-defensive rotation that changed trajectory and charged to strike upward.
Twisting the opponent's strength and dispersing it into nothingness, then a barrage of diagonal slashes.
At one moment, I strengthened my Sword Qi and rapidly delivered a vertical strike.
Then I changed speed again and struck upward, after which I fired twelve streams of Sword Qi beyond that.
All of this happened in a single instant.
I madly unfolded Danak Sword Art, chasing the purple trajectory without end.
The Peng Bird's power grew ever stronger.
The gale erupting from the Peng Bird's body carved knife marks across my entire frame and tore open wounds.
My vision blurred from losing too much blood.
'A little more, just a little more!'
Move the sword continuously.
Come a single step closer to that color!
Even if I die!
'If I have no talent…'
Yosan Yoak.
Gisansimcheon.
Cheopcheopsanjung.
Sanjunghogal.
Neongokjibyeon.
Gonggokjeonsung.
'I have to go insane!!!'
It was fine if I died now.
So, please show me the way!
At that moment.
Suddenly, I saw the massive red intent shooting toward me and thought.
'Perhaps, in the clash of martial arts, I too am nothing special.'
Until now, I had always assumed others' intent was necessarily red.
But if I reversed the perspective, from the opponent's viewpoint, their own intent would be blue, and mine red.
I had thought that the world of peak martial artists consisted only of others' intent and my own.
Yet perhaps that was a mistaken thought.
Others' intent.
My intent.
It might be nothing more than a difference in perspective, perhaps all the same color.
I closed my eyes, then opened them again.
Changing perspective, my intent appeared red, the Peng Bird's intent blue.
When I blinked again, the colors returned to normal, yet I understood.
'If intent is truly all the same, then what remains is only my martial arts…'
The boundary between my color and the Crown Prince's intent began to vanish.
Red and blue melted together, and before my eyes, a landscape as if the heavens and earth were dyed purple spread out.
My body was becoming rags in real time, yet at the same time I entered a strange trance.
Martial arts could never be completed alone.
A partner to dance with me was required.
'Ah, I see.'
I finally understood what the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown realm meant.
A realm of complete communication with the opponent!
A realm where the boundary between the opponent's intent and my own vanished, allowing me to read their intentions with even greater directness and subtlety!
Through the opponent's intent, I could also discern my own actions, erasing all flaws in my stances and movements completely.
I reflected every single stance of mine like a mirror against the Crown Prince's intent, fully understanding how much qi I had wasted and how many needless movements I had made when unfolding stances.
Hoouuu—
I drew in a deep breath.
I pulled back the qi I had wastedlessly scattered during my stances!
***
The assassin escort team on the roof of the villa watched the clash between Seo Eun-hyun and the Crown Prince on the ground below.
A peak martial artist with overwhelming real-world experience even in his youth— a veteran of countless battles!
That was the evaluation he had received ever since he joined the assassin escort team.
After honing that seasoned expert for decades, yet the entire assassin escort team had never believed he could defeat the Crown Prince.
Because he was a Heavenly Venerable.
Because he was an existence of a different order from martial artists.
In truth, Seo Eun-hyun had already been reduced to rags mid-fight with the Crown Prince.
Holes had been pierced through his body, wounds covered every inch, and blood poured from his mouth.
Yet he did not stop, advancing one step at a time with calm resolve.
Everyone knew that this desperate struggle was meaningless.
Then.
Alarm flashed in the eyes of the warriors.
Seo Eun-hyun began to unfold his swordsmanship.
It looked more like a sword dance.
A series of movements without a single unnecessary motion.
But what truly stunned them was what came next.
Seo Eun-hyun's intent flow refined itself.
At the same time, the middle-stage peak warriors could no longer follow that trajectory as it became too continuous.
And the intent that had spread around him suddenly converged into three points.
"Sa, sam…"
Three flowers bloomed above his head as he danced the sword dance.
"Samhwa… Chujeong!"
For a moment, the three flowers hovering above his head were sucked into his nose and mouth.
***
Hoouuup!
All the wasted qi surged back at once.
The qi depleted by continuously unfolding Danak Sword Art immediately refilled.
I finally understood why the master had said the stance of Gonggokjeonsung reached the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.
'A stance that receives the opponent's power and strikes back.'
It was nothing more than practice of exchanging intent with the opponent and eventually connecting.
'…Thank you, brother.'
With deep gratitude in my heart toward Kim Young-hoon from my past life, I continued moving my sword.
Neither you nor I exist.
Only martial arts itself remained here.
Now I understood why the experts of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown had advised entering the state of no-self.
It was not a metaphysical answer, but a counsel to reach a state where neither your intent nor my intent existed.
Sanmyeonggongung.
Gusanpalhae.
In the state of no-self, I thrust the sword.
While unfolding the sword, not a single qian of waste existed.
Within the purple realm beyond blue and red, I continued filling my sword with martial intent.
'If neither you nor I exist and only martial arts remains, then intent would also be neither yours nor mine.'
Once Sword Qi merged with the sword and filled it with qi, and once Sword Qi comprehended sword intent and filled it, then came the next step.
'Sword intent would connect with the intent flowing through the world.'
Paaaaat!
Sword Thread evolved.
The Sword Qi that had faintly encircled the sword thickened, beginning to spew forth light streams.
It was as if stars had condensed on the sword itself.
Sword Gang!
Why could I not maintain Sword Gang for even one second with my own strength alone, no matter how much qi I poured?
It was a trivial matter within the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown realm.
Because martial arts was not something one performed with one's own strength alone.
Through the opponent's intent.
And through the intent of the world, one could complete true martial arts.
Danak Sword Art.
Cheonji!
I became a transparent lake and used the Peng Bird's 'flow' in front of me as the sword itself.
Even though it was a method without meridian circulation, I somehow felt I understood the Peng Bird's structure.
The flow of intent flowing inside the Peng Bird was clearly visible.
The Peng Bird's power was instantly sucked into my sword, and I unfolded the ultimate style of Danak Sword Art along with the pain sword.
Danak Sword Art.
Ultimate Style.
"Danak."
Chwaa-aak!
Releasing the pain sword I had withdrawn, I spat it toward the Peng Bird.
Bright Sword Gang had clearly condensed on my sword.
Jjeong!
The Sword Gang shattered the Peng Bird into pieces.
"Hoo…"
I caught my breath.
And with a transparent gaze, I looked at the Crown Prince grinding his teeth inside the whirlwind.
"Hah, you insect. Don't get cocky just because you broke one of my talismans. Here, receive this too!"
Countless Wind Blades coalesced, this time transforming into the form of a massive Jiao Dragon.
Yet I no longer felt that these things would kill me.
Tadat!
I unfolded the Moonwalk Step and charged at him.
Krooooh!
The Wind Dragon howled and charged.
While unfolding my movement technique, I suddenly comprehended one more thing.
"Sanjunmu and Wolakbo are one single martial art."
Until now, with my limited talent, I had failed to see it.
But now that I had reached the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, it became clear.
It was the intent Kim Young-hoon had left behind when he created this movement technique for me.
Sanjun— the great mountain is crossed (Wolak)!
'And it flies.'
Sanjunwolakbi.
I leaped upward with a heavy bounce and dodged the Wind Dragon like flying, then slipped into his intent domain.
"You are tense, aren't you, Your Highness."
From now on, there would be no restrictions on unfolding the Moonwater Palace Record.
The instant I entered his domain, I felt as if the flow of his perception swept across my entire body.
I used the Moonwater Palace Record to sharpen my intent sharply and directly severed his perception.
If until now I had unconsciously severed it in the trance, now I severed it with full awareness!
"Hah, you still resort to tricks. But do you really think you can pierce this whirlwind?"
The whirlwind surrounding the Crown Prince was the crystallized essence of countless millions of Wind Blades rotating.
Yet somehow, confidence welled up inside me.
'I can shatter it.'
The corner of the talisman.
The place where the Wind Blade's rotational power was weakest.
I shot toward that spot.
Kang!
Dozens, hundreds of Wind Blades appeared to shoot toward me.
Yet I paid them no mind and sensed my intent.
I felt it.
Kang, kang, kang, kang!
Sansuhwa!
Dozens of slashing strikes extended in all directions, sweeping away the Wind Blades, and I successfully entered the heart of the whirlwind.
At this distance, the Crown Prince's perception had become even more condensed and denser, making it harder to sever.
'It doesn't matter.'
But at this range, my sword could reach anyway.
I filled my sword with Sword Gang.
Paaaaat!
White light exploded from the sword, and the Crown Prince's eyes filled with shock upon seeing me.
'Until now I could not pierce the defense talisman with my sword, but…'
Sword Gang would be different!
Kwaang!
My single strike shattered the Crown Prince's defense talisman like glass.
"Kroaak!"
Chwaak!
My sword tore off a portion of his neck.
Paaaaat!
The Crown Prince hastily unfolded a wind law technique and successfully dodged my sword.
Fear now appeared in his eyes for the first time.
"H-hic… do, do not come…"
Pa!
I charged at the Crown Prince like a mad dog and severed his perception with the Moonwater Palace Record.
The instant I vanished from his sight again, his face turned deathly pale.
"G-get away! Get away! Come, come on, get out of here!"
Kwaaa!
A gale of wind raged.
He scattered wind in all directions because he could not see me, yet I cut through the wind currents and approached once more.
Chwaaak!
Using Sword Gang, I aimed at him again.
The Crown Prince formed a law seal in panic and once more barely survived.
"Die! Die!"
Pa!
As he formed a law seal and shouted, wind law techniques in the forms of Peng Bird, Wind Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin erupted once more.
Yet they were useless in front of me, who had fully stepped into the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown and was using the Moonwater Palace Record.
Shuk!
Charging with the Simsan style, I severed the Peng Bird, then with the Yureung style I stabbed and burst the Wind Dragon, after which I unfolded Sanjunwolakbi to dodge the other techniques and chased the Crown Prince.
Once more, he fled while pouring out powerful law techniques at me.
The situation had reversed.
"H-huek! Hwa-eok!"
The Crown Prince fled in despair, constantly forming law seals.
Compared to me, who used qi without wasting even a qian, he kept launching large-scale law techniques that did not even hit me, yet his complexion had grown pale.
"D-die! Please, I beg you to die! Hwaaa!"
'I will end it with the next strike.'
Preparing the stance of Gisansimcheon, I drew in a breath.
Then.
"Ha, hat! Kueuk!"
The fleeing Crown Prince suddenly changed direction, using law techniques and leaping.
'Gisansimcheon!'
Shuk!
My Sword Qi greatly lengthened and aimed at his legs, which were soon severed.
"Kroaaaak! Damn it, damn it! Martial artists! Martial artists like you! Why martial artists like you!!"
He gnashed his teeth in pain from his severed leg, glaring at me.
"You! Do you think what you are doing now is right? Do you think the ones you follow are any different?!"
I said nothing and approached him while holding my sword.
"Hahaha! Yes, didn't you receive the Pill of Extending Life from your father a few years ago! The Pill of Extending Life is made from the same materials as the Pill of Foundation Establishment.
Now you. Do you know what the Pill of Foundation Establishment is that those Foundation Establishment Heavenly Venerables take when they rise from Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment?"
I raised my sword toward the noisy man.
"The Pill of Foundation Establishment uses one hundred years of human vitality and pure blood as one of its materials! Is there any Heavenly Venerable of Foundation Establishment who reached that realm without eating the Pill of Foundation Establishment?
Ninety-nine percent of Foundation Establishment Heavenly Venerables reach their realms by eating the Pill of Foundation Establishment! The ones you follow are ultimately no different; in the end, they all devour humans!
Since you also ate the Pill of Extending Life, there is nothing different…"
Peok!
I kicked the Crown Prince's chest with my foot. He coughed up blood and gasped.
Yet I myself was breathing heavily.
I had lost too much blood.
Places where flesh had been torn away entirely were opening, and sensation was gradually leaving my thigh.
I briefly looked down at the Crown Prince still coughing on the ground, then took out the silk box from my bosom.
And took out the Pill of Extending Life from inside the box.
A medicine that, when one pill was eaten by the culprit, would extend his lifespan by ten years—a heaven-defying divine medicine.
I had only today learned the true nature of the red glow on the Pill of Extending Life.
Thuk—
Crack.
I threw this filthy pill beside the Crown Prince and stomped it flat with my foot.
"Don't worry. From now on, I will never eat the filthy pills made by your Heavenly Venerables."
Whirl, whirl—
The territory that had been the base of the Makri Se Clan now burned fiercely by the yin law techniques used by the Zhen Clan Heavenly Venerables.
And above the territory, battles among Foundation Establishment Heavenly Venerables raged.
Kim Young-hoon was also participating in that battle.
'I need to hurry… and help.'
If I had eaten the Pill of Extending Life, could I have moved even a little more?
But I felt no regret.
I had no intention of putting something made from human sacrifice to my lips.
Srung—
I raised my sword.
"Farewell."
And I struck down the Crown Prince.
Shuk!
What?
Why was my body standing upside down?
Suddenly, I realized my neck below was empty.
'Ah, I see. My head has been severed.'
It had been caused by a Wind Blade that had suddenly flown from the necklace around the Crown Prince's chest.
That Wind Blade had been too fast for me to block or dodge as a human.
'I should have cut him…'
Now I had finally reached the realm.
Even a little more, I could have been more helpful.
To die like this…
'…No, no.'
Even if I died this way.
Just a little more help would do.
If I had ascended to the realm I desired, would I have died with nothing accomplished?!
'I will cut! I will cut!'
Even if I die, I will cut!
***
"Hah… hah…"
The Crown Prince of Yeon Kingdom, Makri-hyun, breathed heavily while staring at Seo Eun-hyun's severed head.
'I, I survived.'
The immortality talisman given to him as the Crown Prince of Yeon Kingdom had activated.
…It was a one-time use law technique that allowed him to deliver a strike of Foundation Establishment Heavenly Venerable level.
"…Ha, haha. Hahaha!"
He laughed madly.
"I, I won! You bastard! You will never challenge the Heavenly Venerable clan! Ha, ha ha! Kuek! Kuk!"
He coughed up blood mixed with phlegm.
He had used too many powerful law techniques recklessly.
All his law power was exhausted, and his legs had no strength left to move.
'First, I'll recover law power with the stone.'
He looked up at the sky.
Among the martial artists who had come with Seo Eun-hyun, there was even a monster who was fighting head-on against Foundation Establishment elders.
'I came here thinking I could gain merit. First, I need to escape. If not…'
Then.
Twitch—
"…?"
The severed body of Seo Eun-hyun began to move.
"Eh?"
Makri-hyun stared blankly at the corpse.
The body without a head, a qi stance being caught.
"W-what! H-huaaa!"
No law power was felt.
It was not even a zombie.
"Why, why is it moving?!"
He tried to stand and flee, but no strength entered his legs.
At that moment, Seo Eun-hyun's intent gripped his consciousness domain.
'This…'
Perseverance.
No matter what happened, the overwhelming resolve to cut the opponent in front first remained active inside Seo Eun-hyun's body.
'Nonsense! How could an insect like that possess such perseverance!'
The corpse of Seo Eun-hyun caught a qi stance.
Because it was a corpse, qi did not gather on the sword, yet Makri-hyun was currently without law power, his body unable to move, and he had already used up the one-time immortality talisman.
The sword moved.
"Do not spout nonsense! How could an insect like that possess such perseverance! How could one have such resolve! Why, why! Even in death, you do not give up!"
Seo Eun-hyun's flesh.
The flesh he had honed martial arts for his entire life.
The hand that had crushed swords for decades of hardships.
The martial arts he had forged for his entire life now moved on its own even in death, performing its duty.
"Why do you not give up! Why resist even in death!!!"
Shuk!
Seo Eun-hyun's sword cleanly severed the area above Makri-hyun's mouth.
His mouth had remained open as if unable to accept death, and his eyes held the terror of not being able to believe even at the moment of death.
Even in his severed head, Seo Eun-hyun smiled faintly.
That was the end of his life in which he had never rested but forged himself without ceasing.
It was his fifth regression.