Chapter 38: An Unidentified Test (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 38: An Unidentified Test (2)
“Pick up your sword and attack me.”
“…….”
I couldn't fathom what this man’s intention was.
A man who handled me like a child, even after I had opened my Middle Dantian, was suddenly telling me to attack him.
Was he testing me?
—What are you going to do?
Sodam Sword, still stuck in the floor, spoke in a worried voice.
It was only natural; honestly, I didn't see a way to win. There had to be at least some opening to exploit, but the gap in our levels was simply too vast.
Yet, running away wasn't an option either—I had already failed at that.
“You think too much.”
The man in the black-veiled bamboo hat lightly tapped the floor with his foot.
A floorboard cracked and flipped into the air. As the long piece of wood ascended, the middle-aged man caught it with a sword-finger gesture and flicked his wrist a few times. To my amazement, the floorboard was shaved down into a thin rod shaped like a sword.
Gripping the wooden rod, the man addressed me.
“You had better give it your all.”
Was he really planning to face me with that thin wooden stick?
No matter how great a master he was, the Namcheon Iron Sword was a precious blade forged with Cold Iron.
—Unhwi. My former master used to say that to a master who has reached the peak, weapons are meaningless.
‘……You’re telling me to stay sharp, right?’
—Exactly.
I didn't have a choice anyway. Passing this man's test was my only way out—though I couldn't be certain if it truly led to a way out.
‘I have to push it to the 6th star.’
Though I was only at the beginning stages of it, I forced my Life Bright Divine Art up to the 6th star. Immediately, a sharp energy erupted from my entire body.
Seeing this, an exclamation escaped the man’s lips.
“Ho. To think you’ve reached the level of emitting such killing intent at your age.”
Was he praising me? I still couldn't tell what he was after.
‘Phew.’
Regulating my breath and refining my Innate True Qi, I lunged toward the man in the black veil.
I was no match for him in terms of internal power or the execution of martial forms. If so, my only answer was to use my best ultimate technique from the very start.
—Thump!
Stomping hard against the floor, I pulled my sword back into a piercing stance and twisted my hand to the left. Intense energy surged, and my momentum concentrated at the tip of the blade.
‘True Chasing Return Sword.’
The 6th form of the True Life Bright Sword Technique: Chasing Return Sword.
Even I didn't know how powerful the Chasing Return Sword would be now that I had reached the 6th star of the Life Bright Divine Art.
—Cr-cr-crack!
The floorboards began to crack in the direction I was about to thrust. It was a phenomenon caused by the sheer release of killing intent. Judging by the omen alone, the power of the technique was easy to imagine.
I thrust the sword forward with all my might, making it spin.
—Whirrrrrrr!
The sharp energy spiraled forward, surging like a violent storm. Even in the face of such a devastating technique, the man in the black veil stood still, holding his wooden rod.
‘What is he doing?’
He didn't seem to have any intention of dodging or blocking. The moment the technique reached his nose, his sword-like rod moved.
—Slide!
It rotated in a large arc, moving in the opposite direction of my spiraling sword technique. Then, the rod wound around my blade as if it were alive. Even the sharp killing intent I was emitting at the 6th star was being lightly gathered and neutralized.
‘!?’
In that instant, the spiral was forcibly twisted from a forward rotation to a reverse rotation.
‘With just sword power?’
He hadn't even touched the Namcheon Iron Sword; he had generated that force using only the wooden rod. He was a master of the sword beyond imagination—a monster so great I couldn't even guess what realm one must reach to perform such divine feats.
—Creeak!
As the rotation reversed, my arm felt like it was about to be forcibly wrenched. I was on the verge of being defeated by my own momentum.
‘Reverse rotation?’
At that moment, a clever idea flashed through my mind. If the opponent was aiming for a reverse rotation, couldn't I simply adapt to that reverse flow myself?
I stomped the floor once more.
‘Reverse Chasing Return Sword!’
As the sword began to spin in the opposite direction, it gained even more momentum from the man’s own sword power. The destructive force of the technique doubled instantly.
“Ho.”
The man murmured, sounding intrigued.
He was certainly taking me lightly. I gritted my teeth and thrust the Reverse Chasing Return Sword forward.
—Slash-slash-slash!
The spiraling sword force ground the floorboards into dust, turning the air in front of me into a brown haze of wood particles. I felt a sensation through the tip of my sword.
Did the attack land?
In that moment—
—Bang!
My body was sent flying backward by an invisible force. I smashed through a large incense burner and slammed into the wall of the blacksmith shop.
—Crash!
It felt like every bone in my body was shattered. The Reverse Chasing Return Sword, which had doubled in power by utilizing the enemy's own strength, hadn't worked at all.
As the dust cloud cleared, the man in the black veil came into view. The surface of the wooden rod he held was covered in numerous sword marks, but they were nothing more than scratches. Not a single one had cut deep.
‘Ha…….’
Even with a Reverse Chasing Return Sword of that magnitude, I couldn't even break a wooden stick.
“Not bad.”
Muttering as he looked at the marks on the rod, the man pointed it at me.
Then he spoke.
“Your offense is usable. I wonder how your defense is.”
With those words, the man began to walk toward me with steady steps. It seemed he was giving me time to get back up.
‘Damn it.’
Struggling out of the wall, I gripped the Namcheon Iron Sword and took a starting stance with a tense expression.
I was conflicted. If I used the True Blood Golden Body and the Silver Smoke Thread together, would I have a chance?
But no matter how many simulations I ran in my head, I couldn't see a single opening in the man before me.
—Shouldn't you at least try something?
I wanted to, but using the True Blood Golden Body here was too risky. If this monster of a man belonged to the Orthodox Faction, it could backfire horribly. A trump card should only be used when you are certain you can kill the opponent.
“You think too much.”
The man in the black veil said to me. He was pointing out how I hadn't moved since taking my stance.
“Thinking a lot can be a strength, but it can also be a weakness. I imagine your master pointed that out as well.”
—Swish!
‘Huh?’
Suddenly, the man’s wooden rod snaked out like a serpent, aiming for my head. I thought the distance was enough that it wouldn't reach, but I was wrong. I hurriedly used my footwork to widen the gap.
—Tap-tap-tap!
However, the rod followed me with uncanny precision, as if it were a living thing. Realizing I couldn't just retreat, I leaped backward and unleashed a technique.
True Life Bright Sword Technique, 3rd Form: Illuminating Shadow Sword.
I tried to suppress the rod's movement with a dazzling trajectory, using a technique as flexible as a willow branch.
However—
—Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal echoed.
‘!?’
Amazingly, with just three thrusts, the rod blocked the critical flow of my sword's trajectory and easily neutralized the technique.
‘How is this possible?’
This wasn't just any technique; it was the True Life Bright Sword Technique. He had instantly found the flaws in a technique that had been refined and improved.
Before I knew it, his rod was touching my throat.
“That’s one death.”
‘One?’
The rod twisted its trajectory and tapped my chest. A profound internal power sent my body flying back about ten paces.
“Shall we try again?”
After knocking me back, the man in the black veil swung the rod again. While his previous moves had been simple basics, this time the trajectory of the rod held variations that suggested a formal martial form.
‘Ah!’
The moment I saw it, I snapped to full alertness. I had seen this trajectory before. Dozens of times, in fact.
‘Ink Immortal Great Formation Sword!’
It is said that a master who has reached the peak can manifest sword techniques even without taking a formal posture, simply by standing still. They express the essence of the technique through the trajectory of the sword alone. This is called a Sword Formula.
Through the Ink Immortal, I had performed the Heavenly Secret and seen the sword techniques this man performed dozens of times. I had experienced him manifesting the essence of the techniques like this countless times.
This Sword Formula was undoubtedly the Ink Immortal Great Formation Sword. There was only one swordsman in the world who could perform this.
‘The First Sword of Wuhan, Baek Hyang-muk!’
The man before me was the Alliance Leader himself, Baek Hyang-muk. I was currently clashing swords with one of the Eight Great Masters, the pinnacle of the martial world.
‘Ha!’
I’d had a sliver of suspicion, but this confirmed it. What a coincidence. Not only had I met the leader of the Martial Alliance and one of the Eight Great Masters in this remote blacksmith shop, but I was also crossing blades with him.
—Slide!
The rod aimed for my vital points. He likely assumed that since he was using a Sword Formula containing the intent rather than a full technique, someone of my level wouldn't recognize it.
But I had seen this dozens of times; it was burned into my mind. Naturally, I knew the exact trajectory of the sword.
Then, the words the man in the veil—no, Baek Hyang-muk—had said came back to me.
[Thinking a lot can be a strength, but it can also be a weakness.]
‘……Let’s stop calculating.’
—Step-step-step!
I initiated my footwork. I surrendered my body to the flow of the Sword Formula Baek Hyang-muk was wielding. Rather than thinking about how the technique was coming at me or how to dodge it, I decided to trust my instincts.
—Whish!
The rod narrowly grazed my side. As I slowly lowered my body, the rod whistled over my head.
‘!?’
Through the gap in the veil, I could see his eyes waver slightly. I then leaned back, narrowly avoiding the rod's trajectory as it tried to pierce the center of my throat.
Simultaneously, I thrust the Namcheon Iron Sword toward his heart. The middle-aged man let out a small "Hmph" and reached out with his left hand to catch the blade.
‘Now!’
—Snap!
In that state, I twisted and rotated my body. Using the rod pressed against my chest as a fulcrum, I spun over it and launched a kick toward Baek Hyang-muk’s face.
Just as my foot was about to connect with his face—
—Whoosh!
‘Whoa!’
My body was propelled upward. It was due to the force erupting from the rod I was using as a support. As I soared, my eyes were fixed solely on Baek Hyang-muk.
Gripping the hilt of the Namcheon Iron Sword firmly with both hands, I immediately unleashed a technique.
The 5th form of the True Life Bright Sword Technique: Meteor Falling Sword.
In this moment, I had no stray thoughts. I thought of only one thing.
‘Cut him!’
As I brought the sword down with intense force, Baek Hyang-muk raised his rod. I felt a sharp killing intent emanating from the wood. That killing intent, which I hadn't felt at all until now, became palpable the moment I discarded all distractions.
—Thump!
My heart pounded violently. Perhaps I, too, could imbue my sword with the same kind of killing intent that Baek Hyang-muk was emitting.
“Hraaaaaagh!”
With a shout, I brought my blade down on the rod.
—Crack!
The rod, which had been as hard as a precious sword, split in half. And just as the blade of the Namcheon Iron Sword was about to cleave Baek Hyang-muk in two—
—Snap!
Baek Hyang-muk caught the blade between two fingers.
‘!!!’
It was simply staggering. It was the greatest strike of my life, yet he had stopped it with just two fingers. My body was frozen in place by his immense internal power. He was supporting my entire weight with just those two fingers.
Then, Baek Hyang-muk spoke.
“Yes. That is how you handle a sword.”
—Touch!
No sooner had he finished speaking than his left hand touched the space between my eyebrows. Simultaneously, my vision was dyed black.
As my consciousness faded, I heard Baek Hyang-muk’s voice faintly.
“He raised his disciple well.”
*
The man in the black-veiled bamboo hat—no, the Alliance Leader Baek Hyang-muk—was walking down a back alley of Blacksmith Street.
Two other figures in bamboo hats suddenly appeared and flanked him. They were no ordinary martial artists, having appeared without a sound.
Baek Hyang-muk spoke to them.
“Jeon Jong. Master Craftsman Sim has disappeared. Inquire around the area and find out exactly who has been coming and going from here.”
“I shall obey your command.”
The figure on the right vanished with incredible speed. Even after sending him off, Baek Hyang-muk continued forward without pause. The figure on the left spoke in a surprised voice.
“Alliance Leader. Is that blood on your hand?”
Drops of blood were trickling down between the index and middle fingers of Baek Hyang-muk’s right hand.
“It is but a small scratch.”
“No…….”
The blood of one of the Eight Great Masters, the pinnacle of the martial world. Even if it was just a scratch, it was no light matter.
Baek Hyang-muk raised his left hand, looked at the wound, and chuckled.
“I intended to teach him one lesson, but I ended up giving him more than two. This wasn't exactly a fair trade, Baek San.”
“Who was it? I, Baek San, shall immediately—!”
Baek Hyang-muk raised his hand to stop him, signaling that it was fine. Then, he spoke in a low voice.
“Jeong-gyeom might actually have to be a bit nervous during the Martial Discussion. Indeed.”
At those words, the man called Baek San flinched in surprise.
The "Jeong-gyeom" Baek Hyang-muk referred to was Lee Jung-gyeom, the joint successor personally trained by both the First Sword of Wuhan himself and Taoist Master Zhongxian, the leader of the Wudang Sect.