Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Swordlessness Surpasses Sword
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It took Bu Eun-seol a month to leave the Intermediate Hall.
The Peerless Lightning Style.
It had taken him a full month to learn Cheon Un-gwang's unique martial art and master the essence of the killing sword.
Compared to the fifteen days it took him to master the Yasudo, a style said to be nearly impossible to learn, this was an immense amount of time.
‘That was truly difficult.’
Walking toward the Advanced Hall, Bu Eun-seol felt overwhelmed for the first time.
For the past month, he hadn't simply been learning a sword style. He had been studying the theories of orthodox martial arts, something he had never encountered before.
He had been forced to cram into his head in one month the profound secrets of advanced martial arts that should have taken years to absorb.
The grueling, agonizing process was difficult to describe in words.
*Click.*
Opening the door to the Advanced Hall, Bu Eun-seol wore a peculiar expression.
Surprisingly, the Advanced Hall looked less like a training hall and more like a study hall.
Inside the semicircular room was a high platform, with tables and chairs arranged below it.
And on the platform stood an old man with his white hair tied up. He was Duan Tianyang, the instructor of the Advanced Hall.
“My name is Bu Eun-seol.”
As his eyes met Duan Tianyang’s, Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands.
“I was training under Instructor Cheon Un-gwang and was promoted to the Advanced Hall today.”
“I’ve heard about you. A martial talent of considerable skill, they say.”
Duan Tianyang smiled warmly and pointed to an empty seat.
“Go on, have a seat. We were just about to begin.”
As Bu Eun-seol sat, he felt the sharp stares of the other trainees.
‘It’s different.’
Bu Eun-seol could feel it.
The looks of ‘contempt’ that had followed him so persistently were gone. Now, he only felt gazes of curiosity, awe, or jealousy.
And the reason was that he had killed Byeok Han-seong with a single strike.
‘All because of something like that?’
A wave of disgust rose in Bu Eun-seol.
Was wiping corpses an act to be scorned, while a martial artist cutting down a man was an act to be met with awe and praise?
Bu Eun-seol, who was learning martial arts solely for revenge, could not comprehend this cruel and heartless world of martial artists.
“Then let us begin today’s study of principles.”
Duan Tianyang, who had been glancing at Bu Eun-seol, spoke in a low voice from the platform.
“Since we have a new trainee, I will once again explain the song-formula and the Seven Teachings of the Hwau Sword. ‘The entire body is filled with strength,’ ‘The body stands upright and centered,’ ‘Hollow the chest and pluck up the back,’ ‘A single strike does not penetrate deeply’…”
The song-formula of the Hwau Sword, said to destroy all with its fiery raindrops, was not much different from the sword doctrines of any other sect.
Viewed another way, it could be interpreted as a strong emphasis on the fundamentals.
‘So this is what it was like.’
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes narrowed as he listened intently to Duan Tianyang’s lecture.
What if he hadn't learned martial theory and advanced sword arts in the Intermediate Hall? He would have never been able to understand these principles.
The lecture on the principles continued for about an hour.
“Let’s conclude today’s interpretation of the principles here.”
Closing his book, Duan Tianyang descended from the platform with a stooped gait and said.
“The five I pointed out before, and you, the newcomer, follow me.”
Noticing Bu Eun-seol’s puzzled expression, Duan Tianyang spoke in a gentle voice.
“There’s no need to be nervous. We are merely going to the training ground to practice the sword.”
Outside the door was a training ground paved with blue flagstones.
The sunlight was warm, and a cool spring breeze blew from somewhere.
It was peaceful.
If Bu Eun-seol hadn't gone through the Second Gateway, if he hadn't fought a life-or-death duel with Byeok Han-seong in the Intermediate Hall…
Even he might have been swept up in the leisurely, peaceful atmosphere of the Advanced Hall.
‘They’ll demand more blood soon enough.’
He was certain of it.
Once the training hall curriculum was over, all this peace would vanish like foam on water.
“You, come closer as well.”
Duan Tianyang gestured to Bu Eun-seol, who had fallen behind, lost in deep thought.
“The time for learning is limited. Cast aside your idle thoughts.”
It was as if Duan Tianyang had looked right into Bu Eun-seol's mind.
“My apologies.”
As Bu Eun-seol bowed his head, Duan Tianyang smiled warmly.
“There is no need to apologize to me.”
On the vast training ground, which seemed to be about three hundred *pyeong*, the six trainees, including Bu Eun-seol, gathered in a circle. At its center stood Duan Tianyang, his back stooped.
“Today, we shall speak of ‘Swordlessness Surpasses Sword’.”
Duan Tianyang picked up a thin, dry branch tucked into his waist.
Suddenly, behind his withered and stooped figure, an aura reminiscent of a great mountain range arose.
“Instructor Cheon told me that you have only just begun to learn the sword… no, martial arts.”
Duan Tianyang’s gaze remained fixed on Bu Eun-seol.
“Is that true?”
Bu Eun-seol nodded without hesitation.
“It is.”
At that moment, the eyes of the surrounding trainees changed.
The man who killed Byeok Han-seong, a disciple of the Sura Sword Sect, with a single blow had only just begun learning martial arts?
*Rumble.*
In that instant, the trainees’ expressions completely transformed.
—Unbelievable!
But they had to believe it.
Lying in front of Duan Tianyang, an elder of the Hwau Sword Sect, let alone an instructor of the Advanced Hall, would get one exiled from the demonic martial world, never mind becoming one of the Sip-ma-jeon-in.
‘This is troublesome.’
Feeling the stares coming from all directions, Bu Eun-seol’s brow furrowed slightly.
—I must not draw attention to myself.
The truth Bu Eun-seol had learned after passing through the deadly Second Gateway was that he must never attract the other trainees' attention.
To be noticed was to become a target of vigilance.
“Hmm. I see.”
Ignoring the trainees’ changing gazes, Duan Tianyang continued to speak to Bu Eun-seol.
“In that case, do you happen to know of the martial principle of ‘Swordlessness Surpasses Sword’?”
“I do not.”
“I see. Then I shall explain it simply.”
Smiling warmly, Duan Tianyang glanced at the branch and continued calmly.
“‘Swordlessness Surpasses Sword’ is a state where one can defeat a sword-wielding opponent even without a sword. In short, it is a state where there are no restrictions in executing sword techniques, whether one holds a sword or not.”
Perhaps because he was speaking of profound sword doctrine, Duan Tianyang’s voice gradually gained strength.
“To reach the state of ‘Swordlessness Surpasses Sword,’ the boundary between the arm and the sword must disappear. Does anyone have an idea of what that means?”
Only then did Duan Tianyang shift his gaze from Bu Eun-seol to the surrounding trainees.
But no one answered. Most demonic sword sects emphasized practical combat; none discussed the principles of swordplay or the realms of martial arts.
“Does it not have a similar meaning to Sword-Hand Unity or Mind-Sword Unity?”
After a long silence, a boy with an iron sword on his back spoke up, and a faint smile touched Duan Tianyang’s lips.
“It is a little different from those. Sword-Hand Unity is to wield the sword as freely as one’s own hand of flesh and blood, while Mind-Sword Unity is the state where the body itself becomes the sword.”
And once again, Duan Tianyang’s gaze fixed on Bu Eun-seol.
“What do you think? Can you guess the meaning of the boundary between the arm and the sword disappearing?”
Bu Eun-seol remained silent.
But Duan Tianyang waited patiently, persistently, for his answer.
“In my opinion…”
Breaking the long silence, Bu Eun-seol slowly opened his mouth.
“Is it not about mastering the boundary between existence and non-existence?”
It was a cryptic answer.
But upon hearing it, Duan Tianyang smiled meaningfully.
“You truly must be new to the sword.”
At Duan Tianyang’s words, all the trainees smirked.
—He was pretending to be some great prodigy… trying to cover it up with a plausible-sounding answer.
—Hearing Instructor Duan say that, it seems he really is a novice.
Listening to the trainees’ whispers, Duan Tianyang looked at Bu Eun-seol and spoke in a voice barely audible.
“Otherwise, how could you possibly fathom the enlightenment of a peerless swordsman who has danced with death for decades?”
At that moment, the trainees’ eyes wavered like ripples on water.
From the looks of it, what Bu Eun-seol said seemed to make a great deal of sense, did it not?
“I was only making a humble guess.”
“Hahaha. That may be so.”
With a satisfied smile, Duan Tianyang spoke to Bu Eun-seol in a low voice.
“Are you not curious as to why I am questioning you so persistently?”
“I am.”
“While you were in the Intermediate Hall, all the trainees here learned the first form of the Hwau Sword, Hyeon-ji-u-hyeon. And now they have moved on to sword theory.”
He walked closer to Bu Eun-seol and spoke in a cold tone, unlike before.
“But your sudden arrival has put me in a difficult situation. Do you understand what I mean?”
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
Until now, he had been fortunate enough to receive one-on-one instruction from Jin Gak and Cheon Un-gwang.
But the Advanced Hall was where talents selected to learn the true Hwau Sword were gathered. There could be no exceptions in their education.
“If you cannot immediately understand and follow what I am about to ask, I intend to expel you at once.”
Duan Tianyang looked at the five trainees behind Bu Eun-seol with sharp eyes.
“The same goes for you all. Though you have come to the Advanced Hall, you have yet to properly learn the sect’s sword arts.”
A heavy silence, like lead, fell over the wide training ground.
“If you too fail to immediately understand and realize the sword theory I expound today, you will have to leave the training hall established by our sect immediately.”
Bu Eun-seol now understood why Duan Tianyang had called him and the five other trainees aside.
‘He’s testing to see if we are worthy of being in the Advanced Hall.’
The Hwau Sword Sect, called the greatest demonic sword sect.
The process of learning its sword arts was by no means easy.
“Since you seem to have some understanding of the principle of ‘Swordlessness Surpasses Sword’… I will ask you first.”
*Flash!*
A streak of light flashed, and in an instant, Duan Tianyang had brought the branch right up to Bu Eun-seol’s forehead.
“If I were holding a longsword, your brow would have been pierced by its tip.”
Then, withdrawing his hand, he asked Bu Eun-seol.
“If you were attacked suddenly like this, but had no sword in your hand, how would you execute your sword techniques?”
“If I have no sword in my hand…”
“I should warn you, this is a question based on a real combat scenario. A vague answer would be worse than no answer at all.”
A sigh escaped Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
He felt it would be easier to survive an extreme battle or a life-or-death struggle than to engage in this sword discourse.
Then, his eyes met Duan Tianyang’s sharp gaze.
‘If this were a real fight…’
Even without a sword, even with just that thin branch, Duan Tianyang could have easily pierced his head.
‘I have no sword. I have no sword…’
Finally realizing something, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“You did say my opponent would be holding a sword.”
Then, with a confident expression, he stared directly into Duan Tianyang’s eyes.
“I would use my opponent’s sword. That is the only ‘Swordlessness Surpasses Sword’ I can achieve right now.”
*Swoosh.*
And with a movement as fast as lightning, Bu Eun-seol reached for the branch in Duan Tianyang’s hand.
“A hasty conclusion.”
With a chuckle, Duan Tianyang lightly struck at Bu Eun-seol’s wrist with a technique that could shatter the void.
“?”
But Duan Tianyang’s technique was not fully executed.
Bu Eun-seol, having predicted his move, had already slipped inside his guard.
“...!”
Duan Tianyang’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
As an elder of the Hwau Sword Sect, his skill was worlds apart from Bu Eun-seol’s, a difference like that between heaven and earth.
Yet, Bu Eun-seol had managed to close the distance because of his discerning eye, which could predict techniques from mere hand movements.
And because of the terrifyingly sharp power of the Yasudo.
“Hoho…”
After standing with his mouth agape for a long while, Duan Tianyang burst into a hearty laugh.
“Hahahaha!”
As if he had discovered something amusing, he pointed at Bu Eun-seol’s face and roared with laughter. Then, he said,
“You pass.”
He clapped Bu Eun-seol on the shoulder and nodded.