Chapter 43
Ch. 43 .｡.:✧ The Sword Immortal's Memories - 2 ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The Sword Immortal’s memories continued to unfold before me.
He spent his nights cultivating his internal energy and his days honing his skills in real combat.
The opponents he faced grew progressively stronger.
At first, he fought against Green Forest bandits and low-level disciples from minor sects, but gradually, he began clashing with renowned experts, those acknowledged as peak masters within the Jianghu.
[Hmm. You’re still lingering at the threshold of the Peak Realm. This is getting tedious.]
Hummm!
The Sword Immortal – or rather, I – sitting in meditation, couldn’t help but scoff at my master’s words.
‘How can he speak of the Peak Realm as if it were nothing…?’
I swallowed hard.
The limits of ordinary humans were clear.
The Peak Realm was where true talent began to manifest.
Those without innate gifts could only reach it through decades of arduous training, accumulating experience and internal energy.
It marked the point where one could finally shed the label of “late-bloomer.”
The gap between a first-rate master and a Peak Realm expert was immense.
‘Reaching the Peak Realm is akin to being recognized as a true force, worthy of being an elder or a core member of a prominent sect.’
Peak Realm experts could not only unleash sword qi but also manipulate it freely.
I had only just reached this stage, still refining my control over sword qi.
In essence, Peak Realm cultivators were a step away from transcendence, capable of leaving their mark on the world.
‘Which makes my master’s casual dismissal of Peak Realm experts even more absurd…’
Just as I finished this thought, my master scratched his head and said,
[Even if you’ve hit a wall, stagnating without any progress is pointless. So, today, I’ll arrange for you to face a more… challenging opponent.]
“…?”
I tilted my head in confusion.
The opponents I’d faced so far were all first-rate masters or above.
I knew that a moment’s carelessness could cost me my life.
I’d survived this long only through years of relentless training and cultivation.
My master’s words didn’t make sense.
And then—
Fwoosh-
Two figures materialized out of thin air, both wearing grotesque masks.
One was dressed in black, the other in white.
Both radiated a menacing aura, a clear indication of their formidable strength.
A cold sweat trickled down my back.
My eyes widened.
[Today’s lesson will be… special.]
‘This is insane…’
I swallowed hard and shifted my stance, preparing for battle.
“…Two Peak Realm experts at once?”
[Hehehe. This should be entertaining. These two are quite infamous within the unorthodox factions… One is called Blackface Devil, the other Whiteface Devil. Together, they are known as—]
Clang-
[…the Twin-Faced Devils.]
“…!”
Blackface Devil’s scythe emitted a chilling ring.
It was a wickedly sharp weapon, perfectly suited to its wielder.
I, drenched in cold sweat, slowly raised my sword.
‘One Peak Realm expert is difficult enough, but two…?’
I swallowed hard.
They silently gathered their qi and their auras grew more menacing.
‘…Victory is impossible.’
There might be unforeseen variables, but there wasn’t even a sliver of hope.
‘I can’t even guarantee I’ll take one of them down with me.’
Their combined power was overwhelming, easily on par with some of the most formidable figures in the Jianghu.
They were clearly at the upper echelons of the Peak Realm.
As the Twin-Faced Devils continued to gather their qi, my master chuckled.
[Perhaps striking first would give you a slight advantage…]
Fwoosh!
A wave of energy erupted from him, a swift and unexpected attack launched the moment he finished speaking.
The Twin-Faced Devils faltered, their concentration momentarily broken.
-…!
But they were seasoned assassins, experts in ambush and surprise attacks.
They wouldn’t be so easily swayed.
‘My swordsmanship is still no match for them…’
I smiled wryly.
I hadn’t expected an easy victory, but the Twin-Faced Devils, renowned figures within the unorthodox factions, were even more formidable than I’d anticipated.
Crack!
Whiteface Devil, recovering from the surprise attack, slammed his palm onto the ground, unleashing a wave of force that disrupted my balance.
Blackface Devil seized the opportunity, with his eyes flashing.
A chilling blade of light arced towards my waist, a swift attack from my blind spot.
I frowned.
‘This is… difficult to dodge.’
Then… I would meet it head-on.
Clang!
The clash of our blades reverberated through the area, sending tremors through the ground.
Sparks flew.
Our energies collided and a miniature cataclysm unfolded.
My master let out a gasp of surprise.
Whiteface Devil’s lips curled into a sneer.
I chuckled.
‘…At least, my internal energy cultivation isn’t inferior.’
The amount of qi I’d accumulated likely surpassed even the elders of the Nine Great Sects.
This was due to the unique cultivation technique I practiced – the Grand Cosmic River Divine Art.
It was renowned for its efficiency in gathering and refining qi, making it a prized possession, even coveted by the Imperial Palace.
Even the Twin-Faced Devils, formidable as they were, likely didn’t possess a comparable technique.
‘Then, the question is, how do I bridge the gap in experience…?’
I glanced at my hands.
My calloused palms were already split and bleeding from the impact of our clash.
It was hard to believe that a single exchange could reveal such a disparity in our strength.
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I lost.
I lost again.
And again, and again, and again…
The Sword Immortal of the past continued to suffer defeat after defeat.
“…Ah.”
But even in defeat, he smiled faintly.
These endless battles cleared his mind, washing away the fear, despair, and helplessness he’d experienced.
“…Haha.”
It was a cathartic release.
[That’s over two hundred losses now…]
“…”
I remained silent.
My accursed master was right.
I’d lost over two hundred times.
The Twin-Faced Devils were simply too strong.
Even if I disregarded the difference in experience, the gap in our cultivation realms was insurmountable.
‘Most people would despair at this point.’
I’d known from the beginning.
Even with my rapid progress, the Twin-Faced Devils were veterans, having reigned within the unorthodox factions for years, perhaps even decades.
They were on a different level from the first- and second-rate masters I’d faced before.
Their honed skills were enough to shake the world.
They were unbeatable.
Swish-
[…You never tire of this, do you? Picking up your sword yet again.]
“…”
What I – the Sword Immortal – was doing was essentially courting death.
It was a fool’s errand.
But—
‘What did I care?’
I closed my eyes.
The Twin-Faced Devils frowned.
It was understandable.
Closing your eyes in a fight against seasoned killers was practically suicidal.
[This isn’t the time for complacency…]
As my master sneered, the Twin-Faced Devils launched a coordinated attack.
The pressure of their combined qi was immense, almost suffocating.
But I was… attuned to something else.
‘Higher…’
Crack!
I launched myself into the air, propelled by an almost instinctive impulse.
-…!
The Twin-Faced Devils’ eyes widened in surprise.
I was evolving, growing stronger even in the face of death.
There were no limits.
I murmured, almost unconsciously,
“This is… exhilarating.”
This moment, this precarious situation… it was thrilling, intoxicating.
I couldn’t bear to remain on the defensive.
Swish-
I slowly raised my trembling arm.
‘This is my chance.’
I could do something.
I felt it in my bones.
‘Azure River Sword Technique, Blue Moon Sword Technique, Galactic Limitless Sword, Shadowless Phantom Blade, Crescent Moon Sword Technique, Innate Grand Cosmic Sword, Silent River Sword Art.’
Countless sword techniques flashed through my mind, but none of them felt right.
I needed something more, something… ultimate.
[Ohho…]
Swish-
A technique that could turn the impossible into reality.
That’s what I needed.
With the ambition to grasp the moon, to reach the heavens, to become a star in the vast cosmos…!
Shhhhiiiing…
KABOOM…!
A surge of enlightenment coursed through me, crackling like lightning.
And then, I felt it – the coldness in my hands transforming into warmth.
‘This is…’
Even as my vision blurred, I looked down at my hands.
They were covered in blood. But it wasn’t mine.
[Magnificent.]
My master murmured.
[You struck down Whiteface Devil and inflicted a mortal wound on Blackface Devil in a single stroke… An impressive feat.]
“Cough…”
[What was the name of that technique? I’ve never seen anything like it.]
“Cough, cough…”
I coughed up blood, my breath coming in ragged gasps, but I answered,
“It… has no name. I was too focused on… expressing the enlightenment I’d just grasped… I wasn’t even aware of what I was doing.”
But if I could replicate that moment of clarity…
“Its name… its name…”
The Sword Immortal of the past smiled faintly.
“Just like the intent behind it…”
…I see.
Yes.
I shall call it… Heavenly Evasion.
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The Sword Immortal of the past felt his power growing.
Stronger, and stronger, until he was powerful enough to embrace the world—and finally, he stood on the precipice of transcendence.
‘If these are the Sword Immortal’s memories…’
I observed the rapidly flowing memories from a detached perspective.
My vision, once intertwined with the Sword Immortal’s, had finally separated.
I was Eun Ha-seong again, no longer bound by the Sword Immortal’s thoughts and emotions.
‘Why is he showing me these memories…?’
I wondered.
I watched as the memories flickered past.
The young boy had become a young man, venturing into the Jianghu.
He purged the unorthodox factions, slaying notorious villains, his life mirroring that of a protagonist from a wuxia novel.
The memories, once slow and deliberate, were now racing towards their conclusion.
And then, a voice echoed in my ears.
[These are the memories I shared with my master, imprinted upon the sword embedded in the boulder.]
“…!”
[Those training sessions with the Twin-Faced Devils were our last. I left him soon after, embarking on my own path…]
The voice was familiar, yet tinged with a bittersweet nostalgia that sent a shiver down my spine.
I turned towards the source of the voice and nodded, recognizing the speaker.
“…It’s you, Sword Immortal.”
[Hahaha… I am fortunate to have finally encountered a true successor, even if it’s through these fragmented memories.]
He stood before me, an immortal with an air of ancient wisdom.
A single sword hung from his waist, his only adornment.
I met his gaze, his eyes filled with a melancholic smile, and spoke,
“…But you are merely a lingering will, a remnant of the original owner’s consciousness.”
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