Chapter 258: The Person to Talk About Swordsmanship With
Chapter 258: The Person to Talk About Swordsmanship With
After leaving the Heavenly Demon Hall, I headed toward the Northern Heavenly Sword House.
Why should I struggle alone when there’s someone I can talk to about swordsmanship?
Yes, this is my way. If I don’t know something, I ask. If I realize something while talking about something else, even better. And if I really can’t figure it out, then to hell with it—I’ll just go play.
I had been so busy with the other Demon Lords and various incidents that I’d neglected the One Flower Sword Venerable. I intended to make up for it now.
The return of a sparring partner who had wandered off for a while.
Just as I had changed in the meantime, so had she.
When I arrived at the One Flower Sword Venerable’s hermitage at the Northern Heavenly Sword House, I was startled. Her hut had changed. That modest little shack was gone, replaced by a grand mansion.
The yard had grown larger, and the flower garden she tended had expanded as well.
The only thing that hadn't changed was her elegant appearance, which seemed to defy time itself. She greeted me warmly.
“Young Cult Leader, welcome.”
“Have you been well?”
“I am always the same.”
“Your home has certainly changed.”
The One Flower Sword Venerable followed my gaze, looking around with a calm smile.
“I decided to change the atmosphere.”
Her old hut had been a house for show—a way to tell the world, I am a noble person who has cast aside secular desires to walk only the path of martial intent.
But now, she had shed that pretense and was showing her honest desires. I wondered what had caused such a change of heart.
“I imagine you’re busy these days. What brings you here?”
“I came because I missed you, Sword Venerable.”
“I’m glad you did. Come in.”
I followed her inside. The interior was lavishly decorated.
“May I look around? I’ve recently taken an interest in room decor myself.”
“Feel free.”
I slowly scanned the room. The furniture and ornaments were ornate and high-end. She made no effort to hide the fact that she had spent a fortune on the interior.
“It’s truly wonderful.”
Then, something caught my eye.
Is that...?
On the table sat a book. It was the same collection of poems and paintings I had seen on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s bookshelf.
Of course, it could just be the same book. But the reason a single book drew my attention so much was because the people involved were the Blade Demon and the Sword Venerable.
“I should get a cabinet like that for my room. I really like it.”
“I didn't know you had such hobbies, Young Cult Leader.”
After looking around, we sat across from each other at the tea table. The tea she served had a familiar taste. It was the same tea I had drunk at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s house.
“It seems Elder Blade Demon drinks this tea as well.”
“Is that so?”
I didn't miss the way the One Flower Sword Venerable momentarily flinched. First the book, now the tea.
These two!
I suppressed a laugh. If the book and the tea weren't coincidences, then their relationship had definitely shifted.
“Are you curious why I changed the house?”
“Did you have a change of heart?”
“I simply felt like living a bit differently.”
I looked around once more and spoke.
“To be honest, this room suits you much better than the old one. It’s brilliant and beautiful.”
“Does it seem so?”
The One Flower Sword Venerable smiled pleasantly.
Though we were laughing and talking like this, she and I maintained a certain distance. Not too close, yet not too far. It was definitely further than a single step, but not so far as to be uncomfortable.
About five steps. That was the distance I felt existed between the One Flower Sword Venerable and me.
“I came today as your sparring friend.”
I requested a duel. Fortunately, she accepted readily.
“I’d like nothing more. However, I’m not sure if a duel with me will be of any help to you.”
“I learn a lot just by watching you draw your sword. If I didn't think it would help, I wouldn't have asked, would I?”
“Can’t you just leave that silver tongue of yours behind?”
“I’m afraid my mouth is needed in too many places for that.”
We headed out to the training ground.
We stood facing each other about ten paces apart. Her aura shifted instantly, as if our previous joking had never happened. It wasn't just her house that had changed; I felt that her aura was different from before.
She’s been focusing on her training!
She was honed as sharp as a precious blade. I had once compared the efforts of the Demon Lords to the frantic paddling of a swan’s feet beneath the water; the One Flower Sword Venerable was the person who fit that metaphor best.
Behind her swan-like elegance lay invisible, grueling effort. What had caused her to change like this?
I also revealed my true aura without hiding it. Tension flickered across her face, and her gaze turned cold and focused.
The One Flower Sword Venerable moved first.
Swoosh!
Her sword flew toward me. I couldn't even see her form. She had completely hidden herself behind the blade, her body and sword becoming one.
The One Flower Sword and the Black Demonic Sword clashed in mid-air, sending sparks flying. Dozens of sword lines created by the two blades embroidered the air for a split second before vanishing.
Though she had lost to me in our previous duel, a Sword Venerable was still a Sword Venerable. Furthermore, her recent refinement shone through, elevating this duel to an even higher level.
With our sword lights flashing, we both leaped into the sky. The martial artists of the Northern Heavenly Sword House stopped in their tracks to watch the radiance gleaming in the air. The sword light reflecting the sunlight was a magnificent sight.
Clang!
With one final, long metallic ring, we landed back on the ground.
Even without the sword flying from a hand or being held to a throat, the Sword Venerable knew. She knew she had lost.
“Your growth is truly bottomless.”
She couldn't hide her bitter expression. Her training hadn't been able to keep up with my growth.
I made sure to preserve her pride.
“It’s only because you held back. I’ve shown all my cards, but don't you still have your final move left?”
All the Demon Lords kept one final strike hidden for the very end. The One Flower Sword Venerable was no exception.
“It is a move I hope never to use in my lifetime.”
In other words, it was a trump card that required her to stake her very life.
“Let’s go back inside.”
Once back indoors, we quenched our thirst with cooled tea and began to talk about swordsmanship.
We discussed the duel we just had. Then, I went a step further. I shared with her the insights I had gained after achieving the Twelve-Star Great Achievement of the Flying Heaven Sword Technique.
The One Flower Sword Venerable listened intently, asking questions whenever she was curious. With her level of skill, she surely knew how sincere I was being. She knew that these were the essences of martial arts that one would never share with anyone but those they truly cherished.
Her face grew increasingly flushed. When I finished speaking, she rushed out to the training ground.
“Wait! Just wait a moment.”
She began to swing her sword alone in the center of the yard. Then she would suddenly stop, lost in thought. Then she would swing again, only to stop once more.
She had reached an epiphany. She had found a way to scale the wall she couldn't overcome through solitary training by talking with me.
She must have trained alone for a very long time after becoming a Demon Lord. And at the end of that lonely path where the way was blocked, she had met me.
After swinging her sword for a long while, she returned, her face still glowing with excitement.
“Didn't you come to me because you wanted to gain insights into swordsmanship from me?”
“That’s right. To be honest, my swordsmanship has hit a bit of a wall lately.”
“Then why are you passing your martial knowledge to me?”
I calmed my aura and spoke with dignity.
“Because you are going to be my Demon Lord.”
As she stared at me in silence, I continued calmly.
“Besides that, there are two more reasons. First, I believe that once you break through your limits, that realization will eventually find its way back to me. We are sparring friends, after all.”
She nodded and asked, “And the second reason?”
“You are the only one among the Demon Lords who uses a sword. You’re the only person I can talk to about swordsmanship. You know my father’s personality well. Who else would I learn from? Who else would I influence? I only have you, Sword Venerable.”
Of the three reasons, this one seemed to touch her the most. A flash of intense emotion crossed her face.
“And yet, I should have visited you first, and more often...”
I spoke honestly.
“I felt like you would always be there, just as you are. It was a selfish and bad thought. I should have taken care of the good people first.”
The One Flower Sword Venerable spoke with a somewhat self-deprecating tone.
“I am not that good of a person. Perhaps you handled the order exactly right...”
A hint of remorse flickered in her eyes. For a moment, neither of us spoke, lost in our own thoughts. I didn't offer any empty comforts like, No, you’re a good person.
The words needed right now were these:
“May I come again tomorrow?”
The One Flower Sword Venerable nodded with an expression that said I could come not just tomorrow, but for the rest of my life.
*
“Since when did you like flowers?”
Despite the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s words, I kept staring at the flower pot on the windowsill.
“It looks like a rather... sneaky flower.”
On my way back to my quarters, I had stopped by the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s place and saw something new on the windowsill. It was a potted flower. If I had come here first, I would have just assumed he bought it himself.
“What on earth is inside the head of a man who looks at a flower and calls it sneaky?”
“Where did you get it?”
“Someone gave it to me.”
If he had given her the book and tea as gifts, she must have given him the flower pot in return. Or vice versa.
Brother Drunken Demon, you’re amazing!
It seemed the Drunken Demon’s efforts to reconcile the two had finally borne fruit.
“Who gave it to you?”
“An acquaintance.”
“I’m asking who that acquaintance is.”
“You’re being noisy while I’m trying to read.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon refused to admit it was from the One Flower Sword Venerable until the very end. I didn't press him further. I even held back my jokes.
How happy must he be right now? It wasn't just anyone; it was the One Flower Sword Venerable. Resolving past misunderstandings and conflicts, exchanging gifts...
I’ll hold back. If I’m going to tease him, I’ll do it later.
“Stop staring at it! If you accidentally emit your Qi, the flower will die.”
If I did that, he might actually launch a killing strike at me.
Dae-ryong, the flower pot here is more precious than the ones in the office. If you so much as drop it while training, you’ll have to endure at least a year of hell training.
“I’m leaving now.”
“Why so soon?”
“I’m in the middle of hell training these days. I’m probably the hardest worker in the entire Cult.”
“You’ve already become the Young Cult Leader. What more wealth and honor are you chasing that you work so hard?”
Since the relationship had completely changed compared to before my regression, if I died now, the Demon Lords would all die too. Would the Blood Heaven Blade Demon just stand by and watch me die?
That’s why. To keep everyone alive.
I’m doing this so that if someone has to jump into hell, it’ll be me.
You should be the one enjoying that wealth and honor, Elder. In your final years, happily traveling the Central Plains with the Sword Venerable.
*
The next day, I sparred with the One Flower Sword Venerable again. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot, as if she hadn't slept.
“I lost some sleep last night because of my training.”
It seemed she had spent the whole night trying to turn yesterday’s realizations into actual skill.
I sparred with her again. Since we knew each other’s moves, we began to use increasingly powerful techniques, and toward the end, the exchanges were almost indistinguishable from a real battle.
After the duel, we talked about the fight. Since the flow of the battle was similar, most of it overlapped with what we discussed yesterday, but we talked as if it were all new.
Our conversations branched out into new topics as well. Stories of childhood training, and I even learned how to grow flowers.
I went the next day, and the day after that. I went with the mindset of seeing her as much as possible to make up for all the times I hadn't. I went with the intention of going until she got sick of me and told me to stop coming.
The duels followed a similar pattern, but we both felt the changes. Even for the same technique, the speed was different, and the internal energy behind it changed. Some days were fast, others slow. The opportunity to test one’s sword techniques so freely was not something that came easily.
And then, this morning.
I used the First Form of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art: Annihilation Form.
Sssssssst!
The sound was different.
Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice!
Startled, I ran over to check. The wooden dummy had been cut into exactly four pieces.
“I did it!”
I had finally succeeded in making sword qi fly in from four directions simultaneously. The duels and conversations with the Sword Venerable had helped in some way.
From that day on, I devoted myself even more to my training. I had a burning desire. I wanted to see the form of the small evil ghost within the Annihilation Form. That desire drove me to the limits of effort.
Once a day, I made sure to stop by the Sword Venerable’s place to spar and talk about martial arts. To an observer, it might have looked like we were just repeating the same thing over and over, but it wasn't the same.
We grew within the power of that repetition. As the Sword Venerable grew, so did I. She grew under my influence, and I received the influence of her growth in return. We were burning with the heat unique to those who live by the sword.
And our relationship changed as well.
“The reason I changed the house was because of Elder Blade Demon.”
She revealed her honest feelings.
“Lately, I’ve been trying to get along with him, forgetting past grudges. In the process, I found myself thinking a lot about the old days. Back then, I loved brilliant and pretty things. That was who I was. Thinking about that, I just changed it on a whim. It’s embarrassing, but it wasn't some grand, calculated decision.”
It must have been a longing for her youth. Those days she wanted so desperately to return to.
“You did well. If you miss the hut later, you can just change it back.”
“Wouldn't I look like a flighty person then?”
“I think you’d look like someone with a free soul.”
“Right, I’m at an age where I don't need to worry about what others think,” she said, laughing pleasantly. It was the moment I realized our distance had shrunk from five steps to three.
Meanwhile, my training continued. I trained day and night. One day, after repeating the Annihilation Form countless times...
Ssssh!
The sound of the Annihilation Form changed again. At that very moment, I saw it. A dark entity decapitating the wooden dummy.
Finally!
One of the four evil ghosts had appeared.