The Plum Blossom Ten-Thousand Li Fragrance
The Plum Blossom Ten-Thousand Li Fragrance. The final form of the Mount Hua Plum Blossom Sword Style. It was the ultimate technique among the twenty-four forms that I had already decided upon in my heart.
If I had to describe it, It’s a move I created with the pinnacle of the Illusionary Sword in mind.
I nodded slowly. From the tip of my sword as I performed the sword dance, a faint plum blossom scent had begun to bloom.
Whoosh—
“······.”
I suddenly lifted my head and looked up at the empty sky. As expected, there wasn’t a single cloud.
What fine weather.
A faint smile curved at the corner of my lips. The match against Yi Tae-ryang was already the furthest thing from my mind. To be honest, every ounce of my attention was completely focused on unfolding the Plum Blossom Ten-Thousand Li Fragrance.
“Ugh…!”
Yi Tae-ryang had lost all will to fight. Leaning on the sword stuck in the ground, he could only watch helplessly as I performed my sword dance. While enduring his gaze and the countless interested stares coming from all directions—
Whoosh—
I continued the sword dance without pause.
Senior brother had an ultimate technique within the Thunder Shadow Sword Style he practiced.
The Thunder Shadow Sword Style that Mu Yeong used as his main technique. Among them was the secret art called Thunderous Lightning Pierces the Heavens. True to its name as an ultimate technique, it was a terrifying art that converted every form Mu Yeong performed into something close to an ultimate move.
Having already witnessed the power of Thunderous Lightning Pierces the Heavens with my own eyes, and having felt the inherent strength of the Thunder Shadow Sword Style itself, I had gained considerable inspiration.
The true power of the Thunder Shadow Sword Style—the true power of the sword art Mu Yeong wields—lies in his extreme mastery over lightning qi.
I nodded slowly, forced to acknowledge that fact. Compared to my current self, I had almost no confidence that I could train any of the Five Elements to the same extreme level as Senior Brother had with lightning.
If I were to look for any possibility, it would be in the fire attribute… but I had no intention of copying Senior Brother’s secret art that far.
At the end of the day, Senior Brother’s Thunder Shadow Sword Style is nothing more than a reference for me. Nothing more.
That was why I had no choice but to come up with a new method. After deciding to abandon the Five Elements entirely, the path I chose was simple. When I thought about it, it wasn’t that difficult.
Senior Brother’s Thunderous Lightning Pierces the Heavens grants explosive power to each individual technique performed by a warrior who has trained lightning qi to the extreme… but its sustainability and durability tend to be surprisingly lacking.
Besides, there was a prerequisite. To learn the Thunder Shadow Sword Style, one had to train their own unique lightning qi to the extreme—just like Mu Yeong. That was the realization I had when facing the forces of the Two Demons, including Hwa Seo-yeon last time.
During the joint technique we used back then—the Thunder Fire Forms Flame—a thought had flashed through my mind.
Ah, unless one has at least the proficiency to convert internal energy into lightning qi, there’s no way I could perform this ultimate technique alone.
It was only natural. In any case, I had already given up on the idea of training an attribute comparable to lightning qi.
Considering the prerequisite of needing extreme mastery over lightning qi and the fact that the ultimate technique’s sustainability and durability are lower than expected… there’s no reason for me to choose that path.
I had no confidence I could solve those two problems in a short period of time. This wasn’t a matter of simple talent or comprehension. It was something that could only be resolved gradually through time and comparable effort.
From my position—someone who wanted to complete the Plum Blossom Sword Style as quickly as possible—it wasn’t exactly desirable.
So, I changed my thinking.
I looked around. The crowd was filled with interest, anticipation, disbelief, and delight. I had no grand determination to live up to those emotions. I simply held onto the resolve to do my absolute best here, and that allowed me to continue the sword dance naturally.
Whoosh—
The wind rushing in from somewhere, carrying with it the spreading fragrance of plum blossoms.
“Even though we’re already close to summer weather… this sword dance makes me imagine the height of spring—!”
“The way the plum blossom scent tickles the nose… could that be the pinnacle of the sword art that child has trained…!”
The elders’ voices of admiration reached my ears. But since I was still lost in a trance performing the sword dance, they only brushed past faintly.
If I can unfold it freely, then that is the right way.
There was no need to be nervous. No need to get excited. All I had to do was give it my absolute best here.
“······.”
I believed that the Plum Blossom Ten-Thousand Li Fragrance was similar in concept to declaring a domain. It wasn’t some grandiose technique that materialized one’s mental image into reality. But at the very least, unfolding the mental image I had always cherished before this crowd of spectators filled me with indescribable joy.
The moment the Plum Blossom Ten-Thousand Li Fragrance unfolds, every sword strike and technique I perform from now on will display power comparable to an ultimate move.
I nodded slowly. If one were to point out the difference between Senior Brother’s Thunderous Lightning Pierces the Heavens and my Plum Blossom Sword Style, it came down to where the foundation of the one executing the ultimate technique lay.
For example, the Thunderous Lightning Pierces the Heavens of the Thunder Shadow Sword Style was rooted in Mu Yeong’s entire body, which had trained lightning qi to the extreme.
But the Plum Blossom Ten-Thousand Li Fragrance is no different from simply spreading the sword fragrance in all directions and thereby declaring the training ground and its surroundings as a kind of [domain].
And the [domain] created in that way becomes the greatest stronghold for me, the one performing the Plum Blossom Sword Style.
Simply put, the Plum Blossom Ten-Thousand Li Fragrance allows me to freely bestow upon my opponent any technique or ultimate move I can perform within the illusionary sword domain where the plum fragrance has spread.
At the very least, as the one who knew this domain best here, I could feel just how powerful an advantage this was.
“Ooh…!”
“The wind is swirling!”
Voices of admiration rang out from all around. Still lost in a trance as I performed the sword dance, I felt as if I were standing alone beneath the vast open sky.
It was strange. The area was packed with people, yet I felt as though I stood tall in the middle of the air.
“···Ah.”
Only then did I realize something and let out a short exclamation. With a faint smile on my lips, I gazed at the clear, cloudless sky.
A single realization flashed through my mind.
So this is what it feels like to stand tall above the world.
A laugh escaped me on its own.
It was a few days after the martial tournament had ended.
Having entered the residence where Hyeonmu Jin-in, the Sect Leader of Mount Hua, stayed, I let out a short sigh.
“Huu.”
“What is it?”
Hyeonmu Jin-in, who was sitting cross-legged in front of me, asked that.
In response to the Sect Leader’s question, I shook my head once and opened my mouth.
“I’m just surprised that the backlash isn’t as severe as I expected, even though the martial tournament is over.”
“···Hmm. Are you talking about the fact that I officially accepted you as the head disciple of the main sect?”
“Yes.”
I nodded once. Hyeonmu Jin-in let out a small chuckle and then spoke.
“Since you displayed an overwhelming gap in skill and realm during the martial tournament, it’s only natural that the Hall Master of the Disciplinary Hall and some of the elders can no longer raise their voices.”
“······!”
“I knew from the beginning that they were no match for you, but I didn’t expect you to unfold the ultimate technique of the Plum Blossom Sword Style right there.”
“To be honest, I had somewhat anticipated that it would come to this.”
I continued speaking as if explaining.
“After all, because of me, our sect—Mount Hua—might end up in an all-out war with the Two Demons of the heretical path… so I thought I needed to put on a performance of this magnitude.”
“Well done.”
Hyeonmu Jin-in gave a short evaluation. I slowly nodded at his words. Then this time, I asked a question.
“By the way, what brings you to call me so early in the morning today?”
“······.”
“As far as I remember, there aren’t any more events worth paying attention to after the martial tournament.”
When I asked about the point I was curious about, Hyeonmu Jin-in let out a soft laugh right then and slowly rose from his seat.
Swish—
With his hands clasped behind his back, Hyeonmu Jin-in approached me. As I watched the Sect Leader’s movements carefully, he finally declared to me:
“Today, at last, I have decided to pass on the sect’s signature ultimate technique to you.”
“······!”
“Until now, you have been treated as the head disciple of Mount Hua, but that was only temporary.”
“That means…”
“Yes. Now that you have been officially recognized as the head disciple, I can devote a considerable amount of time to you.”
Hyeonmu Jin-in gave a faint smile, then slowly unclasped his hands behind his back and spoke.
“The name of the signature ultimate technique I will pass on to you from this moment is the Purple Sunset Heart Law and the Purple Sunset Sword Law.”
“······!”
Upon hearing those words, I couldn’t help but be shocked to the point of great astonishment.