Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: The Test
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When he first saw it, it had seemed like just a peaceful village.
But the scene that greeted Bu Eun-seol upon his return to Nang-ya-gak was completely different.
A dragon's pond and a tiger's den.
Now, it looked like a pond where a dragon lurked and a den where a tiger crouched.
The old man sitting at the stall had a piercing gaze, and a cold aura enveloped his entire body.
The man carrying cabbages, the youth shouldering firewood... they were all fearsome masters, the likes of which were rare even in the martial world.
‘The one who changed was always me.’
Bu Eun-seol let out a deep sigh as he surveyed the scene from the entrance of Nang-ya-gak.
In the past year, Nang-ya-gak hadn't changed at all. It was only that, after experiencing the martial world and fighting against the strong, he could now truly gauge the strength of its people.
“Master Cheol.”
Returning to his quarters within Nang-ya-gak, Bu Eun-seol cupped his hands in respect to Master Cheol, Wang Geol, who stood before the smithy.
“It's been a long time.”
Wang Geol noted the complete change in Bu Eun-seol's aura and nodded.
“You've made considerable progress.”
“It is all thanks to you for opening the path for me, Master Cheol.”
“Opened the path, you say…”
Wang Geol let out an uncharacteristic smirk.
“Pushing someone into a deathtrap is called ‘opening a path’ these days, it seems.”
It sounded like a joke, but it was the truth.
Bu Eun-seol had wanted a place to hone his practical combat skills, and Wang Geol had shown him the way.
The only catch was that it was a battlefield of carnage where one's life was never guaranteed.
“To call it a deathtrap... it was a sufficiently valuable time.”
“Not only your martial arts, but your silver tongue has improved as well.”
Wang Geol narrowed his eyes and said,
“Once you've unpacked, go to the training ground in the rear garden of Cheong-pung-jae.”
The training ground of Nang-ya-gak.
It was a place with sprawling bamboo and reed fields, where the masters of Nang-ya-gak engaged in duels that were as real as actual combat.
It was also where Bu Eun-seol had learned the fundamentals of practical combat from Dan Cheong.
“The Vice Lord asked me to tell you to go there as soon as you arrived.”
“Understood.”
Just as Bu Eun-seol bowed once more and turned to leave,
“Welcome back.”
Welcome back. Those words were a gift, offering a person endless relief and peace.
As Wang Geol's low voice echoed in his ears, Bu Eun-seol's eyes grew misty.
“Thank you.”
*Whoosh.*
A desolate wind swept through the yellowed reeds.
‘He's late.’
Having entered the training ground in the rear garden of Cheong-pung-jae, Bu Eun-seol stood tall in the middle of the reed field.
“...!”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes, which had been staring blankly at the distant sky, suddenly flashed.
*Crunch, crunch.*
Slowly turning, he saw a giant of a man, his entire body covered in muscle, striding through the reeds toward him.
He had a face that looked carved from rock and a massive greatsword slung over his shoulder.
His gait was heavy and deliberate, like a lion slowly approaching its prey.
It was none other than the Lord of Changshin Hall, So Jeon.
“Lord So.”
As Bu Eun-seol cupped his hands, So Jeon abruptly thrust his greatsword forward.
“Draw your sword.”
“My sword?”
“We've postponed your test quite a bit due to one thing or another.”
So Jeon looked down at Bu Eun-seol, revealing long canines as he grinned.
“Shall we get started?”
“Right now?”
Bu Eun-seol looked at So Jeon and shook his head.
“I just returned to Nang-ya-gak today.”
“And what of it?”
So Jeon snorted.
“Do you think the fights in the martial world wait for you to be in the right mood or situation?”
His words struck a nerve.
Collecting his loosened resolve, Bu Eun-seol gripped the hilt of his sword.
“Hmph.”
At that moment, an intense aura erupted from So Jeon as he rested the greatsword on his shoulder.
The Tyrant's Blade, Apex Stance.
An unparalleled blade art that manifested immense power just by holding the stance was unleashed.
‘He's on a different level.’
Bu Eun-seol had also been practicing and using the Tyrant's Blade, Apex Stance.
But now, facing So Jeon's version, he realized the difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth.
The immense pressure pouring out of him made it difficult to even draw his sword.
*Shing.*
Drawing his sword, Bu Eun-seol lunged with lightning speed, aiming for So Jeon's neck.
‘I have to break his Apex Stance with a single, overwhelming assault!’
So Jeon was a supreme master whom Bu Eun-seol could not face head-on. Even with a surprise attack at full power, it was uncertain how long he could last.
*Bzzzz.*
The tip of his sword trembled faintly, and the single thrust split into four, striking at the vital points on So Jeon's chest.
*Woong.*
However, before the four strikes could reach So Jeon's body, they veered off in the wrong direction.
The pressure from the Tyrant's Blade, Apex Stance had distorted the path of his sword. Seizing the opening, So Jeon swung his greatsword.
*Chwaa!*
With a sound of cleaving air, the greatsword came slicing horizontally toward Bu Eun-seol’s waist.
*Clang.*
In that instant, sparks flew in all directions as the sound of metal clashing rang out.
Bu Eun-seol had raised his sword vertically to block So Jeon's greatsword.
“Hoh.”
So Jeon raised an eyebrow as Bu Eun-seol deflected his strike.
“The Heavy Sword of Handan, I see.”
So Jeon's greatsword carried the force of ten thousand catties.
If met with ordinary strength, his longsword would have shattered. Bu Eun-seol had used the Heavy Sword technique to push back So Jeon's blade.
“Try blocking my Apex Stance again!”
*Whoom.*
So Jeon's greatsword drew a semicircle in the air as it descended to split Bu Eun-seol's head.
At that moment, a pressure like Mount Tai crushing down on him forced Bu Eun-seol into a low crouch.
‘I can't fight the pressure.’
Even using the Heavy Sword, it would be difficult to completely block the immense power contained in So Jeon's greatsword.
‘I must not resist the force, but yield to it and execute my swordsmanship.’
While on missions for the Gu-sal Squad, Bu Eun-seol had experienced countless real battles.
Among them were masters who, like So Jeon, possessed immense internal energy and innate divine strength.
In those moments, Bu Eun-seol didn't counter the enemy's power; instead, he matched their moves with his own swordsmanship.
It was like a choreographed sword dance, performed in perfect sync with the enemy's attack.
‘This brat!’
So Jeon showed a hint of surprise.
As Bu Eun-seol defended by yielding to his power instead of resisting, the pressure pouring from the Tyrant's Blade, Apex Stance diminished significantly.
“You've certainly gained some real combat experience.”
A flash of light shot from the eyes of the impressed So Jeon.
“But that alone won't be enough!”
Finally, So Jeon stopped using the Tyrant's Blade, Apex Stance and began to unleash his own practical blade arts.
It was the practical blade art of Nang-ya-gak—fast like the Peerless Thunderclap Style, yet designed to penetrate and destroy an enemy's weaknesses.
‘I have to counterattack.’
If he only defended against So Jeon's tyrannical and cunning blade techniques, he would eventually be overwhelmed by the momentum or have a weakness exploited, and the blade's edge would find his body.
*Paaat!*
As the greatsword drew a semicircle, unleashing a torrent of techniques like lightning, Bu Eun-seol responded by executing his swordsmanship with all his might.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Sparks flew as the sword and greatsword clashed repeatedly.
‘Kuh.’
With each impact, Bu Eun-seol felt a shock that threatened to tear the web of his hand.
The raw power and internal energy imbued in the greatsword were beyond Bu Eun-seol's limits. But there was no room to retreat.
‘I have to endure!’
*Kang!*
Mustering his internal energy, Bu Eun-seol deflected the greatsword and thrust his own blade toward So Jeon's armpit.
It was the only opening in So Jeon's blade technique.
“You saw through my blade art in that short time?”
Despite having his weakness targeted, So Jeon wasn't surprised. Instead, he laughed heartily and changed his technique.
*Paaaaa!*
In response, Bu Eun-seol also rapidly altered his swordsmanship.
It was not pure swordsmanship, but a desperate struggle solely to block So Jeon's blade.
“When it comes to improvisation, you have no equal.”
As Bu Eun-seol even managed to match the explosive, flame-like changes in his blade forms, So Jeon pushed his greatsword forward with a pleased expression.
“Good.”
*Kuuung!*
Unleashing a powerful pressure that sent Bu Eun-seol staggering back several yards, he held his greatsword in a middle stance.
“Now, try to block this Lord's final move.”
*Gooooo.*
Along with an immense pressure, So Jeon's figure seemed to gradually fade into darkness.
‘A killing move?’
The killing intent flowing from So Jeon's body felt as if it were choking the very breath from Bu Eun-seol.
He was about to unleash a killing move, one that could end a life in an instant.
“You'd better give it your all. This could be the last thing you ever see.”
So Jeon offered the jest with a smile, raising his greatsword. A terrifying jest, at that.
*Flash!*
In that moment, all Bu Eun-seol saw was a single streak of light.
He had never imagined such a swift technique could be performed with a massive greatsword. The moment he saw the light, he felt as if he had fallen into an endless, pitch-black darkness.
He knew instinctively that if he couldn't escape this place, the end would be death.
“Huuu…”
Drawing on his internal energy with all his might, Bu Eun-seol swung his sword with every ounce of his strength.
Instinctively, the sword traced the shape of a circle.
Within that circle was a strike of his very soul... containing all the enlightenment he had gained, the lives of his enemies, and even his own life.
*Saaaaaah!*
Finally, as Bu Eun-seol completed the circle, the pitch-black darkness slowly faded away with the faint sound of crashing waves.
And before him, he saw the astonished face of So Jeon, his greatsword still raised.
“Huh.”
So Jeon let out a deep sigh, unaware he was even doing it.
“To not only receive but to break the Blade's First Sigh…”
Seeing Bu Eun-seol break his technique, So Jeon was momentarily at a loss for words.
“What is the name of that technique?”
“It has none.”
“None?”
As So Jeon's eyebrows shot up, Bu Eun-seol said quietly,
“I just moved to match your technique in order to block it.”
“Moved to match my technique? Hahahaha!”
So Jeon, who had filled the space with a burst of laughter, suddenly stopped and said,
“It's been a while since a worthy disciple has joined this hall.”
With a whoosh, So Jeon sheathed the greatsword on his back and said,
“You pass the test.”
At So Jeon's straightforward declaration, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
“But it wasn't a sword art I performed intentionally.”
It was merely a struggle to survive. A fleeting, instinctive sword move that he could not replicate even if asked.
“That's how it always begins.”
Leaving behind that one cryptic remark, So Jeon turned without a second thought and left the training ground.
‘I'm still a long way off.’
He had held a quiet pride in his martial arts. But even at full power, all he had managed was to overcome a single move from So Jeon.
‘If this were a real fight, my head would already be on the ground.’
So Jeon had only used a single technique.
What if it had been a real battle? After the Blade's First Sigh, the Heaven-Shattering Strike, which could tear apart the sky and earth, would have followed.
But there was one thing Bu Eun-seol didn't know...
In all the tests So Jeon had ever conducted, no one had ever blocked the Blade's First Sigh.
“Looks like you two had quite a round in the meantime!”
Just then, a middle-aged man in blue robes walked out from among the disheveled reeds.
He had languid eyes and the look of a loafer, but flashes of lightning occasionally glinted in his pupils.
It was the Vice Lord of Nang-ya-gak, Dan Cheong.