Chapter 552: Wudang (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 552: Wudang (3)
“What in the world…?”
Gu Ryunghwa, having finished her early morning training, muttered as she took in the scene before her.
“What is it?” she asked, glancing at her brother, who was yawning beside her.
Gu Yangcheon casually rubbed the sleep from his eyes and grunted.
“What does it look like? They’re dueling.”
“No, I mean…”
Why are they doing this now, of all times?
Ryunghwa swallowed the question. There was a mountain of other things she wanted to say anyway.
What is this, really?
Forcibly suppressing a pout, Ryunghwa narrowed her eyes.
On the gravelly bank of the flowing stream, two young men stood facing each other.
One was a clean-cut youth in the white uniform of the Mount Hua Sect. The other was a pale-skinned young man in worn-out robes that looked like they’d been scavenged from a scrap heap.
From what Ryunghwa had heard, the latter was an acquaintance of her brother and someone her junior knew.
I think they said he was from the Kunlun Sect.
Ryunghwa couldn’t be sure. She had never seen a Taoist from the Kunlun Sect before, but this young man seemed quite different from her mental image of one.
There’s something… chilly about him.
Cold and sharp. That was Gu Ryunghwa’s first impression of the stranger.
“Are those two really going to duel?”
“They wouldn’t be standing there if they weren’t.”
Gu Yangcheon’s characteristically arrogant tone grated on Ryunghwa’s ears.
This brother of mine, honestly.
He hadn’t replied to a single one of the dozens of letters she’d sent. And even now, meeting after all this time, this was his attitude.
We weren’t that close, but isn’t this a bit much?
The days when the siblings had been close were long gone. It was perhaps natural for things to be awkward and uncomfortable, but Ryunghwa had made a genuine effort to bridge the gap. For him to act this way was enough to make her blood boil.
Even so, she forced her anger down. Now was not the time for a scene.
Gu Ryunghwa looked at her good-for-nothing brother and asked, “Do you really think that man can beat Junior Yung Pung?”
She had heard the terms. If the pale young man won this duel, they would tell him why they were heading to Wudang. Hearing this, Ryunghwa couldn’t help but look incredulous.
That’s ridiculous.
It was obvious the opponent was a martial artist around Yung Pung’s age. In fact, aside from being tall, he looked physically frail—as if he would break with a single touch, or as if he hadn’t eaten a decent meal in weeks.
Could such a person really defeat Yung Pung?
No way.
Ryunghwa was certain. It was impossible. It might be a different story for anyone else, but not for Yung Pung.
Who was Yung Pung? He was the youngest Plum Blossom Swordsman of the Mount Hua Sect—a genius currently regarded as the greatest prodigy of his generation. Furthermore, now that he had obtained ‘that person’s’ fortuitous encounter, it was certain that Yung Pung would soar to even greater heights.
A young prodigy of the same age who could defeat such a person? In Ryunghwa’s eyes, no such person existed.
No…
As the thought crossed her mind, Ryunghwa glanced to her side. Gu Yangcheon was yawning again.
“...”
She might not believe it, but Yung Pung seemed to believe there was at least one person superior to himself. And it was that man.
…Why…?
As if sensing someone was thinking about him, Gu Yangcheon began vigorously digging in his ear with a frown. He looked utterly pathetic.
…Why, though?
Ryunghwa had always been interested in her brother’s affairs, so she knew the rumors surrounding him.
The True Dragon who conquered the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament. The youngest to reach the Peak Realm. The hero who had stopped the massacre at the Heavenly Dragon Academy, fending off masters of the Unorthodox Faction. And the new title he had earned: the Lesser King of Hell.
At the time, Gu Yangcheon’s name had spread throughout the Central Plains, causing a massive stir. It was just that no one actually believed the rumors—not even his own sister.
Did anyone know the nickname that followed Gu Yangcheon after he supposedly became the youngest to reach the Peak Realm?
The youngest to reach the Fusion Realm. That’s absurd.
Even for a rumor, it was too much. As his sister, there were things she could accept and things she couldn’t. As a martial artist herself, Ryunghwa knew just how ridiculous those claims were.
There’s no way that guy could do that.
Back when she saw him at Mount Hua, Ryunghwa had heard that Gu Yangcheon had resolved some incidents, but she had never seen him fight directly. She had only heard that he had miraculously defeated a Peak Realm martial artist.
So he wasn't just some reckless scoundrel after all. He does have some talent.
That was the extent of her praise. But unlike her, Yung Pung seemed to see Gu Yangcheon differently.
Even when the rumor spread that he had conquered the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament: ‘As expected of Young Master Gu.’
Even when the rumor of him being the youngest to reach the Peak Realm spread: ‘As expected… of Young Master Gu!’
And even when he returned to the Mount Hua Sect after the Heavenly Dragon Academy incident: ‘…As expected…. It was Young Master Gu…’
That phrase was always on Yung Pung’s lips. Even as his own realm advanced and the plum blossoms in his sword became more brilliant, Yung Pung’s gaze remained fixed on only one place.
Wanting to defeat someone. Wanting to reach someone. His eyes were looking at something far away.
Ryunghwa suspected that "something" was Gu Yangcheon, but she had no idea why Yung Pung held him in such high regard. In any case, she had naturally assumed that if anyone were to duel Yung Pung, it would be Gu Yangcheon. For him to be facing a complete unknown was something Ryunghwa couldn’t comprehend.
“What, you think he’s going to lose?”
“...”
Ryunghwa didn’t answer, but her silence was an affirmation. Gu Yangcheon chuckled slightly, causing her brow to furrow.
“Why are you laughing?”
“No, it’s just… that seems like the natural reaction.”
It seemed Gu Yangcheon also knew the current situation was strange. But then he added, “Just watch for now.”
His eyes were as sharp as ever.
“I don’t think it’ll go exactly as you expect.”
At that, Ryunghwa slowly turned her gaze back to the two men.
* * *
Swaaaaaa—!
The sound of the waterfall echoed around the stream. A gentle breeze blew, and the clouds drifted slowly. In the tranquil atmosphere, Yung Pung stared straight ahead.
He saw the young man holding a sword. His disheveled hair and pale skin were striking, and his movements seemed utterly devoid of energy. Looking at the youth, Yung Pung shifted his gaze slightly toward Gu Yangcheon.
Yangcheon was watching the two of them with interest.
What are you thinking? Yung Pung wondered.
What on earth was Gu Yangcheon thinking? Why did he make him and Brother Seong face each other? Did he perhaps think Yung Pung was still not ready to face him? At that thought, Yung Pung smiled bitterly.
He’s not wrong.
The moment Yung Pung saw Gu Yangcheon, he knew.
…I can’t feel anything.
He could barely sense a hint of the man's presence. He couldn’t grasp Gu Yangcheon’s realm at all, which meant it was significantly higher than his own. It had been the same in the past, but now it felt as if Gu Yangcheon had ascended to a much higher heaven.
That fact…
As expected.
…was actually a welcome one for Yung Pung.
Whenever he tried to move forward, the man was always further ahead. He would even pick up speed, pulling farther away. Watching him, Yung Pung had struggled desperately to follow.
The first time they met, Gu Yangcheon was the one who made him realize he was a frog in a well. He had shattered the arrogance that had walled Yung Pung in and had given him a goal that would never let him stop—a goal that would keep him running without rest.
As such…
I thought I might have gotten a little closer.
Unfortunately, it seemed he was still far away. That was the only thought that came to mind.
…Even after receiving that person’s energy.
To think he was still lacking, even after inheriting the will of the Great One.
Just how far do you intend to go?
Yung Pung found Gu Yangcheon fascinating. How far did he plan to go? How could he advance at such a speed? It felt like every time Yung Pung got a little arrogant and puffed out his chest, Gu Yangcheon would come and press him back down.
It was exhausting, yet he welcomed it. Was it because Yung Pung wasn’t in his right mind either? The thought was slightly amusing.
But whatever the reason, Gu Yangcheon always had his own motives. This time would be no different. Though there was a lingering disappointment at not being able to duel Gu Yangcheon and a subtle complaint about being matched with Seong Yul, Yung Pung trusted him.
He raised his sword toward his opponent.
“I look forward to our match, Brother Seong.”
“...”
In response, Seong Yul simply raised his sword in silence. No reply. Instead, an unsettling aura filled the air.
Seeing this, Yung Pung inwardly tilted his head.
What is this?
Why did he seem so frail? He couldn’t understand it, but he wouldn’t let his guard down. The fact that Gu Yangcheon had deliberately matched him with Seong Yul meant he judged the man to be a worthy opponent.
“Begin.”
The command fell.
Yung Pung immediately unleashed his internal energy.
Fwoosh—!
An immense amount of Taoist Qi erupted from his dantian, piercing through his body and radiating in all directions.
Ugh…!
Feeling the Taoist Qi swallow his surroundings, Yung Pung suppressed a groan. It was too strong. The amount of Qi was so vast he could barely control it, and it was incredibly wild.
The flower petals are seething.
That was his impression. The once gently fluttering plum blossom petals were now mixed with a fierce wildness. Perfect control was impossible. Yung Pung could only barely wrap the Qi around his body and regulate the output.
Thud—!
The footwork that should have been light was now heavy. Just like that—
Kwoooong—!
Yung Pung shot forward like an arrow.
“Oh.”
Watching him, Gu Yangcheon let out a small sound of admiration.
Shwiiiiik—!
A powerful Taoist Qi wrapped around the blade as it cut through the air.
Smooth.
Yung Pung was breaking a sweat just swinging that sword, but Gu Yangcheon’s impression was different. The sword path of Mount Hua possessed a lightness and gentleness, like petals scattering in the wind. As befitting the name Plum Blossom Sword style, it was filled with a refreshing elegance.
An exceptionally beautiful sword art. That’s what the people of the Central Plains called the sword of Mount Hua, but…
People don’t know how difficult that is.
Most didn’t understand the meaning behind it. To say the sword path is gentle means, in other words, that it’s difficult to apply raw force. And to imbue such a sword with sharpness without compromising its path… how much delicate control did that require?
Most would never know. Also—
That’s why the martial artists of Mount Hua are physically superior.
In the past, when he visited the Mount Hua Sect, he had been surprised by their ridiculous strength training and sturdy physiques. Now he knew. To properly wield that sword, that kind of body was a necessity.
The sword of Mount Hua required a high degree of precision. To control it, one had to endure the physical strain, and to use such a gentle sword, one also needed a rock-solid lower body.
Only then…
Shwiiiiik—!
…could one properly wield the sword of Mount Hua.
Yung Pung’s sword cut through the air. The Taoist Qi spreading from his body intertwined with the blade, fluttering about. The sight was like scattering flower petals.
Watching this, Gu Yangcheon smiled.
The quality is different.
When they first met, Yung Pung could barely make a single plum blossom bloom. Now, he was creating a full bloom. It wasn’t the shallow petals he had shown back then, but the genuine petals displayed by true Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
Fwaaah—!
It was a shame he couldn’t control his energy properly, but even considering that, it was an incredible sight.
Yung Pung has also moved beyond it.
He had moved beyond the realm of young prodigies. In my opinion, if this side of Yung Pung became widely known, he would be worthy of inheriting the name Sword Dragon. If that happened, then perhaps…
In about ten years, he could even aim for the title of Sword King.
Maybe even sooner. Yung Pung’s talent was blossoming to that extent.
It’s different from my past life.
In my view, Yung Pung was one of the few people who had changed for the better compared to the past life. The genius who had been crushed by his own talent and fallen to ruin was gone. In his place was a Yung Pung who had found his path without being blocked by his own potential.
His form shone along with the petals, but…
Still.
His opponent would be no pushover either.
Clang—!
The sound of swords clashing rang out. As the clear note echoed…
“…Huh?”
…a surprised gasp came from beside Gu Yangcheon. It was Ryunghwa. She wore a look of utter shock.
It was only natural.
Clang—! Kkiiigigik—!
The sword of Yung Pung—the greatest prodigy who had moved beyond the realm of his peers—
“What… is that…?”
…was being effortlessly parried by Seong Yul.
His opponent was also a former candidate for Sword King, you know.
If the title of Sword Queen was later taken by the Demonic Sword Queen, the title of Sword King was never claimed by anyone in my past life. This was because it was not long after the Demonic Sword Queen had killed her own father, the Azure Heavenly Sword. Because of that, the position of Sword King remained vacant, but there were a few candidates.
At the time, Mount Hua had been destroyed and Yung Pung had disappeared, so he wasn’t among them. But the Sword Demon was different. That bastard was one of the figures who had been on the list of candidates for Sword King.
However, unlike the Demonic Sword Queen, he didn’t have a record of single-handedly destroying one of the Four Noble Clans or many opportunities to display his strength, so he never ultimately rose to the position. But if he had, he probably would have been called something like the Demonic Sword King.
It feels a bit like winning by default, though.
With most of the master swordsmen dead, it was an ambiguous position to be called Sword King. Be that as it may, the fact remained that he was a candidate. The title of Sword King wasn’t just some trivial name, and the fact that he, even as a Demonic Human, had his name on the list was significant.
And as if to prove it…
Clang—! Clang—!
…the young Sword Demon did not yield an inch against the blossoming Yung Pung. He would twist Yung Pung’s sword path to disrupt it, or—
Shwiiik—!
—if he saw the slightest opening, he would dig into it.
He’s overcoming the physical difference with flow.
In terms of strength and physical ability, Seong Yul was inferior to Yung Pung. He was nullifying that difference by using the flat of his blade to deflect Yung Pung’s attacks.
Experiencing this firsthand, Yung Pung’s expression changed.
What is this?
Whenever he thrust his sword, Seong Yul had already moved to disrupt its path. The slightly twisted tip of the sword would lose its power and deviate from its course. He tried to use his footwork to counteract this, but—
Tak—!
“…!”
The instant Yung Pung moved, Seong Yul matched him, shifting the tip of his foot. The distance neither closed nor widened.
Yung Pung felt a sense of dissonance. Seong Yul’s realm was much higher than he had expected—on a similar level to Yung Pung himself after his fortuitous encounter. This was surprising enough, but what was even more shocking was…
…I can’t feel the sword of Kunlun.
…the fact that he couldn’t feel the sword path of the Kunlun Sect in Seong Yul’s movements. There should have been a distinct feeling unique to that sect, but Seong Yul’s sword had none of it.
Shwiik—! Clang—!
The blades clashed, and sound and Qi exploded outwards. Because their inherent power was different, Seong Yul’s body shook more violently. Yung Pung did not miss that moment and pressed forward.
He lowered his stance and changed his grip. He couldn’t cut with the blade, so he had to strike with the flat. He was about to swing his sword toward Yung Pung when—
“…!”
In that instant, the look in Seong Yul’s eyes changed. He moved his sword with increased speed. His body should have been uncontrollable from the recoil, but Seong Yul caught it and forced his arm to move. For such an attack, the speed was unbelievably fast.
Shwiiiiiiik—!
Damn it!
At that bizarre movement, Yung Pung also twisted his sword path to block the strike. But Seong Yul’s sword was strangely fast—so fast it was difficult to dodge.
Was he hiding his strength? The thought crossed Yung Pung’s mind.
Just then—
[Stop.]
“…!”
Gu Yangcheon’s voice echoed in Seong Yul’s ear. Instantly, Seong Yul’s sword path slowed. Yung Pung swung his sword at that opening.
Kkiiigigik—!
The blades grazed past each other by a hair’s breadth.
Paang—!
They deflected each other’s attacks and created distance.
“Huu… huu…”
Yung Pung, startled by the sudden turn of events, controlled his breathing and stared at Seong Yul. Seong Yul was standing as before, touching his cheek.
Drip.
Blood was flowing from his cheek. It seemed he had been cut by Yung Pung’s Sword Qi.
“...”
Seong Yul himself didn’t seem to care much about the wound; his eyes were wide with surprise at something else.
Looking at him, Yung Pung asked, “…Brother Seong.”
At the call, Seong Yul looked up.
“Why did you slow down at the end?”
If he hadn’t, Yung Pung might have been the one hit. Yung Pung asked Seong Yul why he had slowed down at that moment.
To this, Seong Yul replied, “…I thought… I might kill you.”
He answered in a voice that suggested he didn’t quite understand it himself. Did he not understand that he had tried to kill him? Or did he not understand why he had stopped himself? Yung Pung couldn’t tell.
“…Huu.”
Shing—!
He sheathed his sword and spoke.
“…I have lost.”
The expression with which he admitted defeat didn’t seem entirely pleased, but there was a hint of relief in it.
“…There are still many people in the world I do not know, and it seems I still have a long way to go. This is what you wanted to show me, isn’t it, Young Master Gu?”
Yung Pung realized that Gu Yangcheon had a purpose after all.
“…Yes? Ah, yes…. That’s… that’s right.”
Gu Yangcheon, hearing this from a distance, had no idea what he was talking about.
What is he on about?
He seemed to be having some strange thoughts, but I decided not to correct him. It didn’t seem like a bad idea.
So he actually won.
Gu Yangcheon also found this turn of events fascinating. He hadn’t expected Seong Yul to be completely pushed back and lose, but he hadn’t thought he would beat Yung Pung either.
I was just trying to test something.
He had intended to use Yung Pung to find something out, but he hadn’t expected things to unfold this way.
Yung Pung isn’t weaker than Seong Yul.
It was true that Seong Yul was stronger than expected, but Yung Pung was not weaker. He just couldn’t show his full strength because he hadn’t yet managed to control his energy. If they were to fight again after he had fully mastered it, Yung Pung would likely win.
But that’s not very important.
Gu Yangcheon was more interested in Seong Yul’s condition than the outcome of the match. Seong Yul, his yellow eyes wide with surprise, also seemed to have felt something, as he was looking at Gu Yangcheon.
I smiled at that.
So it works.
When Seong Yul was about to use the power of the Heavenly Killing Star during the duel, Gu Yangcheon had tried something on him. As a result, the Heavenly Killing Star that was trying to dominate Seong Yul’s body was suppressed and blocked.
Seeing that, Gu Yangcheon judged it to be a decent harvest. Of course, it still needed more testing. But it seemed…
I think I can make use of that guy.
Gu Yangcheon felt like he was close to figuring out a way to suppress the Sword Demon’s Heavenly Killing Star.
* * *
After the duel ended and it was around lunchtime, just as we were about to grill and eat the fish that bastard Seong Yul had caught from the stream, I was left dumbfounded by what Yung Pung said.
“…What did you just say?”
As per the promise of the duel, I was about to hear the reason why the two of them were heading to Wudang. But the words that came out of Yung Pung’s mouth were truly utter bullshit.
Seeing me frozen with a fish in my hand, Yung Pung said, “…I…”
The words he spoke to me, very carefully, as if afraid someone might overhear, were…
“…I believe I have become the descendant of the Divine Sword of Mount Hua.”
“…?”
They were words I couldn’t possibly comprehend.